Finger Lime Marmalade Food

LIME MARMALADE

Steps:

• Wash limes thoroughly, dry; using sharp knife, slice as finely as possible; retain any juice from limes; remove seeds (if there are any, as you slice).
• Place sliced limes, any reserved juice and water in china, glass or plastic basin, cover, stand overnight.
• Next day, pour lime mixture into large boiler, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 30-45 mins or until rind is tender. It is important to cook fruit gently at this stage.
• Remove lime mixture from heat; using measuring jug, measure mixture into large basin, return lime mixture to large boiler. Allow 1 cup sugar for each 1 cup of measured lime mixture.
• Place sugar in large baking dish, place in slow oven for 10 minutes, stir several times. (Heated sugar will dissolve in the jam more quickly, resulting in clearer jam). Bring lime mixture to boil, add sugar all at once, (its better to add the sugar off the heat).
• Stir until sugar is dissolved completely - do not allow to boil again until this happens; do not stir after marmalade boils. (It is important, once sugar is added that there is not too much mixture in the boiler; it should not be more than 5cm (2in) deep; this will allow maximum evaporation of liquid, resulting in a marmalade which will jell as quickly as possible.).
• Bring marmalade to the boil, boil rapidly, uncovered. Place a saucer in the freezer for 10 minutes, before testing marmalade. After marmalade has been boiling rapidly for 12 minutes, remove from heat; allow bubbles to subside, drop a teaspoonful of marmalade on to a cold saucer, return to freezer for a few minutes to cool. If marmalade is not jelled enough, return to heat, cook further 3 minutes, test again in the same way. Marmalade should be jelled within 20 minutes; stand 5 minutes to allow fruit to settle. Pour into hot sterilized jars, Store in cool dark place.
• Makes about 2 litres (8 cups).

CITRUS MARMALADE

Steps:

• Cut the citrus: Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the citrus so it sits sturdily on the cutting board. Slice off the peel and white pith in sections, starting at the top and following the curve of the fruit. (You should have a pile of peels and a few naked fruit.)
• Thinly slice the peels (with the pith) no thinner than 1/8 inch and no thicker than 1/4 inch, place them in a large bowl and set aside.
• Halve the fruit and remove any visible seeds. Thinly slice about 1/4-inch thick (white membrane and all), removing any seeds you might have missed. Add the fruit to the peels, and cover with 3 to 5 cups of water, taking note of how much water you used. Let this sit for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (This will help extract the pectin slowly as well as soften the peels.)
• Make the marmalade: Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Place the peels, fruit and water in a large pot. Add enough water to bring the total to 6 cups and bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat.
• Cook the citrus until the peels have begun to soften and turn translucent, and the liquid has reduced by about three-fourths, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Add sugar and any add-ins and continue to cook, stirring occasionally at first, then more frequently as the marmalade cooks and the juices thicken. Continue until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peels are totally softened and almost completely translucent, another 40 to 50 minutes.
• As the marmalade cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate at the bottom of the pot, making the fruit more likely to burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the marmalade reaches this point, add lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. At this stage, the mixture should look thick and viscous with bits of the peel floating around. The peels will never break into the liquid as with a jam: This is O.K.
• To test the jam's thickness, spoon a bit onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it for a few more minutes.
• Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean, if used. Divide among jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top, and seal immediately. Can the marmalade (our How to Make Jam guide has detailed instruction), or store in the refrigerator.

SURE.JELL® LIME MARMALADE

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
• Cut 1 of the limes into very thin slices; place in 3-qt. saucepan. Add water and baking soda; mix well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 min., stirring occasionally. Cut remaining 7 limes into sections, removing and discarding peels and membranes. Add lime sections to saucepan; cover and simmer an additional 10 min.. Measure exactly 3-1/2 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Stir pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)