Mary Berry Marmalade Recipe Uk Food

HOW TO MAKE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Scrub the oranges and place the whole fruits in a large stainless steel pan, or preserving pan.
• Cover with 2.25 litres/4 pints water, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour until the fruit is soft.
• Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Wash the jars well in warm soapy water then rinse thoroughly under running water. Leave the jars and lids to dry, upside down, in the oven. Place a few saucers in the freezer to chill (these will be used to test if the cooked marmalade has reached setting point).
• Remove the oranges from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Carefully measure out 1.7 litres/3 pints of the cooking liquid, discarding any extra or topping up with water as necessary. Return the liquid to the pan.
• When the oranges are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, pith and pips into a bowl. Pour the orange pulp into a muslin bag and secure with kitchen string. Add to the pan.
• Chop the peel into shreds as fine as you like and add to the pan. Set the pan over a low heat and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Bring the marmalade to a rolling boil for 10-15 minutes. Skim off any orange scum that rises to the surface.
• Test for setting point by dropping a little of the mixture onto a chilled saucer, leave for a moment, then push your finger into the marmalade. If it wrinkles it is ready. Alternatively, dip a spoon into the marmalade, allow the mixture to cool a little, then slowly pour it back into the pan. If it is at the setting point, the drops will run together to form a hanging flake (this is known as the flake test). It can take up to 30 minutes to reach setting point, so keep testing.
• When the marmalade is ready, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully ladle into the hot sterilised jars (a sterilised jam funnel makes this much easier) leaving approximately 1cm/½in space at the top of the jar. Twist the lids on the hot jars to seal. The marmalade will continue to thicken up as it cools.

RED ONION MARMALADE

Steps:

• Halve and thinly slice the onions, then thinly slice the garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Tip in the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter. Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves, chilli flakes if using and some salt and pepper. Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly. Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they're really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelising. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part.
• Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. It's done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice. Leave the onions to cool in the pan, then scoop into sterilised jars and seal. Can be eaten straight away, but keeps in the fridge for up to 3 months.

CLEMENTINE & COINTREAU MARMALADE

Steps:

• Scrub clementines in warm soapy water, rinse, then halve and squeeze juice into a large pan. Scoop out the pulp and any seeds, then tie in the muslin, as before. Shred the peel. Add both to the pan with the lemon juice and water, then leave to steep overnight.
• Put the pan over a medium heat and bring up to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the peel is soft, about 30-45 mins. Squeeze as much liquid from the muslin bag as possible. Discard the bag. Weigh the mixture - you should have around 1.15kg.
• Put the pan over a low heat, then add the sugar. Heat gently until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally, then bring up to a good rolling boil. Cook for 15 mins, then check for a set (see Step 5). If not at setting point, boil (see Know how) for a further 2 mins and check again. Repeat until setting point has been reached.
• Add Cointreau, taking care, as marmalade will bubble up. Allow to stand for 15 mins or until beginning to thicken. Transfer to sterilised jars, then seal.
• To test the setting point: take the pan off the heat and allow the bubbles to subside. Take a plate from the freezer and spoon a little liquid onto the plate, then return to the freezer for 1 min. Push the marmalade along the plate with your finger. If setting point has been reached then the marmalade surface will wrinkle slightly and the marmalade won't run back straight away. If it's not at setting point, return to the heat and boil again for 2 mins before re-testing. Repeat until setting point is reached. If you have a sugar thermometer, setting point is reached at 105C, but it's good to do the plate test as well.

LEMON MARMALADE

Steps:

• Chill a saucer in the freezer, ready for checking the setting point of your jam. Wash the lemons and remove the top 'button' which would have been attached to the stalk. Put the lemons in a large saucepan with 2.5 litres water. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and simmer for 2½ hrs or until the lemon skins are lovely and tender, and can be pierced easily with a fork.
• When the lemons are cool enough to handle, remove from the saucepan. Measure the cooking liquid - you'll need 1.5 litres in total. If you don't quite have this, make up the difference with water. If you have too much liquid, bring to the boil and reduce to the required amount.
• Halve the lemons and remove the pips - reserving the pips and any lemon juice that oozes out during the process. Cut the lemon peel and flesh into strips, as thick or thin as you like. Put all of this, including any juices, back into the pan. Put the pips in a small piece of muslin and tie up with string. Add this to the pan, as the pips will aid the setting process of the jam.
• Add the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring until it has completely dissolved. Boil rapidly for about 20 mins until setting point is reached. Test the setting point by dropping a little marmalade onto the chilled saucer, allowing it to cool for 1 min, then pushing gently with your finger. If the marmalade crinkles, the setting point is reached; if not, continue to boil and check again in a few mins.
• Leave to cool for 10-15 mins (this will prevent the lemon shreds sinking to the bottoms of the jars), remove the muslin bag, then gently stir in one direction to disperse any scum (small air bubbles on the surface). Pour jam into warm sterilised jars and seal straight away.