Traditional Citrus Marmalade Food

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.

CITRUS MARMALADE

Steps:

• Wash fruit well to remove any wax that might be on it.
• Cut the orange, separating the pulp from the peel. Remove and save any seeds.
• Slice the peel into very thin pieces.
• Cut the grapefruit, separating the pulp from the peel. Remove and save any seeds.
• Slice the peel into very thin pieces.
• Place grapefruit peel and orange peel pieces in a medium sauce pot.
• Add 1 ½ quarts water to the sauce pot.
• Boil the mixture for 5 minutes on a low boil, stirring often.
• Drain the water from the peels. Discard water.
• Chop the grapefruit pulp. Chop the orange pulp.
• Slice the lemon into very thin slices. Remove and save any seeds.
• Wrap all seeds, pulp and pith scraps in cheesecloth. Tie to form a packet.
• Add grapefruit pulp, orange pulp, lemon slices and cheesecloth packet to the saucepot with the peels.
• Add the other 1 ½ quarts of water.
• Bring back to a low boil. Let boil 5 minutes.
• Cover the pot. Let stand for 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.
• Cook mixture rapidly until peel is tender.
• Remove the cheesecloth packet from the pot. Discard.
• Measure the fruit and liquid.
• Add 1 cup sugar for each cup fruit mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Cook rapidly almost to the gelling point, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
• Remove from heat. Skim foam if needed.
• Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
• Wipe top of jar with a damp cloth to remove any food particles.
• Adjust two-piece caps.
• Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

ABSOLUTELY FAIL-PROOF EASY MARMALADE

Steps:

• Take the 6 citrus fruits and wash well, removing any blemishes.
• Cut into quarters, and place in a food processor.
• Chop until finely ground, skin and all.
• For an optional extra add some crystallized ginger.
• Boil with the 1 kilo of sugar, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 20 minutes.
• It splatters, so be careful.
• This quantity fills about 5 x 340 gram jars.
• Do not double the ingredients, rather make two batches.
• It never goes dark and lasts for up to 6 months in the refrigerator without the need to sterilize the bottles.

THREE-CITRUS MARMALADE

Steps:

• Put a small plate into the freezer for testing the jam later. Scrub and dry the citrus. With a vegetable peeler, strip the zest (the outermost layer of the rind) from 1 orange, 2 blood oranges, and 2 Meyer lemons. Slice the strips into thin matchsticks about 1/16th inch in width. Add the strips to a small pot and cover with cold water. Over high heat, bring the pot to a boil and boil for 30 seconds. Drain the strips, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
• Cut both ends of each fruit. Using the side of your knife, remove the white pith and peel of each fruit. Discard the peels. Cut the fruit into quarters, removing any seeds or hard, pithy centers. Chop each fruit into roughly 1-to-2-inch pieces, saving all of the juice that drips onto the cutting board.
• Measure the fruit and any remaining juice (you should have about 6 cups.) Transfer to a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Add 6 cups water to the pot with the fruit and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
• When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium. Cook fruit syrup, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until it has reduced by half. Periodically skim off white foam that accumulates at the top, and stir occasionally.
• Add the blanched zest and the sugar to the pot. Stir to combine, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, about 10 minutes. The mixture should be at a bubbling simmer. After 10 minutes begin to stir the marmalade constantly. Cook for about 20 minutes more.
• The marmalade is ready when it is thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail at the bottom of the pan.
• Remove the plate from the freezer. Test the marmalade by placing a spoonful of it on the plate. It should thicken promptly. Prepare an ice water bath.
• Carefully pour marmalade into a medium bowl, scraping any bits with a spatula. Set the bowl into an ice water bath. Let cool slightly, stirring, about 5 minutes. Cover surface with plastic wrap and let cool completely. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

MIXED CITRUS MARMALADE

Steps:

• Carefully remove rind from fruit using a vegetable peeler, discard white pith. Cut rind from 1 orange, 1 grapefruit and lemon into 1 1/4 inch strips. Section fruit, cut into 1 inch pieces. Discard seeds, reserve juice.
• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until thick, stirring occasionally. Cool. Pour into airtight containers. NOTE: Store marmalade in the refrigerator up to three weeks.

CITRUS MARMALADE

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.