Citrus marmalade

Have some citrus fruits threatening to go soft in your fruit bowl? Make a zingy marmalade – as well as spreading it on your toast, it makes a lovely gift

  • Prep:25 mins
    Cook:3 hrs 30 mins
    plus cooling
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 46
  • fat 0g
  • saturates 0g
  • carbs 12g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 0.4g
  • protein 0g
  • salt 0g

Ingredients

  • 1kg unwaxed citrus fruit (we used a mixture of grapefruit, lemons and limes)
  • 2.25kg granulated sugar

Method

  1. Chill a saucer in the freezer, ready for checking the setting point of your jam later. Wash the citrus fruits and remove the top parts that were attached to the stalks.

  2. Put the whole citrus fruits in a large saucepan with 2½ litres of cold water. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and simmer for 2 hrs 30 mins, or until the skins can be pierced easily with a small knife.

  3. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the fruits out of the liquid and set aside to cool for at least 10-15 mins. Measure out 1.5 litres of the liquor and pour it back into the pan. If you don’t have enough, top up with water.

  4. Halve the citrus fruits, remove the pips and set aside. Cut the peel and flesh into thin 0.2 cm strips (depending on how thick-cut you would like it to be). Tip all of the flesh and skin, along with any juices, back into the pan with the liquid. Put the pips in a small piece of muslin and tie up with string. Add this to the pan as well, which will help the setting process.

  5. Tip in the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Continue to boil rapidly for 45-50 mins – it should reach 105C. Test the setting point by dropping a little marmalade onto the chilled saucer, allowing it to cool for 1 min, then push gently with your finger. If it crinkles, it has reached the setting point. If it doesn’t, continue to boil and check again after 5-10 mins.

  6. Leave the marmalade to cool in the pan for 10-15 mins, then carefully scoop out the muslin bag using a slotted spoon. Gently stir the marmalade in one direction to disperse any air bubbles, then pour into sterilised jars and seal with a lid. Find out how to sterilise jars. Will keep for up to a year.

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