Dark and tangy Seville marmalade recipes

[pg]

As Duerrs no longer seem to make decent dark, thick-cut marmalde and the Seville season will soon be upon us, my thoughts are turning to making marmalade.

Having scoured older posts for marmalade help I see there are some marmalade experts out there - would you mind sharing your recipe for a dark, tangy, thick cut Seville marmalde? I've made jams and jellies before so I'm used to stirring, rolling boils and putting saucers in the fridge (!), but marmalade recipes have got me a bit stuck - there seem to be many ways to approach it and just as many recipes. If you have a fool-proof recipe you don't mind sharing then please pass it along.

Pithy thoughts - do you have to chop off the pith from the back of the skin? Is there an easy way to do this other than slicing parallel to the skin?

Any tips greatfully received.

[pg]

[Biscombe]

Artichoke saved me from my never ending marmalade disasters!

Here's her recipe



Boil the whole oranges and a lemon until soft, cut in half, scoop out all contents with spoon (including the pith) and put them back in the hot water to boil them some more to get the pectin from the pips.

While they boil, cut the nice dry cooling skins into pieces as fine or coarse as you like them (in my really hectic days I put them in the liquidiser with some of the water).

Pour the boiled pulp/pips/pith through a coarse sieve or fine colander. It retains the pips and pith but lets some of the pulp and all the juice through. I never use muslin.

Reunite the peel with the juice and pulp, add sugar and boil until setting point.

[Trevor_D]

Heaven forbid that I make claims to be an expert marmalade-maker (even though I've made it every year for yonks), but I use Jane Grigson's recipe from her Fruit Book; very similar to Biscombe's/Artichoke's in that you boil the fruit first.

One thing I have found, though. Setting-point takes an age. All the books suggest it happens within 10/15 minutes; in my experience it takes at least 25 minutes! (Or is it just me? What do the real experts say?)

[tim]

1. That doesn't seem to answer the 'dark' question?

2. Can't see why anyone want to turn golden fresh Oranges into a dark goo, anyway!

3. Cook whole? Even better in a pressure cooker.

4. Testing? Digital thermometer.

5. Yes!!

[pg]

Thanks Biscombe, Trevor and Tim for your recipe ideas and suggestions.

Tim:

1. That doesn't seem to answer the 'dark' question?

Any suggestions on the best way to get a dark colour? I seen a recipe where you add a spoonful of molasses.

2. Can't see why anyone want to turn golden fresh Oranges into a dark goo, anyway!

Perhaps I'll try golden as a first attempt...

3. Cook whole? Even better in a pressure cooker.

No pressure cooker though - is it essential?

4. Testing? Digital thermometer.

I have a jam thermometer - is it the same setting temps for marmalade?

5. Yes!!

Yes to making marmalade? Not sure what the yes is for, but it sounds reassuringly positive.


Has anyone seen Sevilles in the shops yet?

[Biscombe]

I wish postage was cheaper from Spain, I would send you some! Seville orange trees are used  for decoration here!

[pg]

...I would send you some! Seville orange trees are used  for decoration here!

Thanks for the offer.

Oh to be in Spain.

[silverbirch]

Foolproof and prize winner
HONEY AND WHISKEY MARMELADE

3lb Seville Oranges
1/2lb Honey
3/4 lb Brown Sugar
3 1/4 lb Granulated
1/2 bottle Certo
1 lemon
(this is less sugar than normal, which I always do with jams, as I like mine not too sweet - hence the pectin)

Make up as per a usual marmelade, add a desertspoon of whisky to each jar and stir in just before covering.

Excellent on thick crust wholemeal toast or crumpets.

[jennym]

You can make your marmalade darker by substituting 5% of the white sugar with muscavado sugar, without affecting the taste.
I would disagree with adding Certo to marmalade, but if it works for you, fine, but to be honest the sugar content that silverbirch shows is fine, it would keep ok with that amount of sugar providing you don't drown the fruit in water.
Pressure cooker is best, I'm a recent convert. But an open pan will work.

[tim]

Agree with less sugar - I use 6 to 4.

Agree re Certo.

Thermo? If I use a mercury thing, I stick to the 220F marked.

I think EJ uses Molasses?

Decoration? Yes - decades ago, first time on the Continent, I was amazed to see the whole street in Alassio lined with 20'+ high Seville trees. We had the waiter at the café nip up & pick us a carload! He thought we were mad!

[Sparkly]

where do you get your oranges from?

[cambourne7]

I found this for you

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1167/dark-muscovado-and-whisky-marmalade.jsp

[Obelixx]

I always make some darker or Oxford marmalade by simply substituting demara sugar for the caster sugar.  It can be hard to find here in Belgium though so I sometimes use the lighter version of muscovado sugar which is sold here as "graeffe".

[pg]

Thankyou all for your suggestions and recipe pointers. I shall now have a go... as soon as I see the Sevilles in the shops.

[jennym]

where do you get your oranges from?

Ask your local greengrocer when they'll be getting some in, or if you want lots, order some from them.

[tim]

Our 2 local village shops no longer stock them - they have remained unsold & rotting for the past 2 years!!
When I do find them, I stock up in the freezer.

[jennym]

Depending on how many you can use, it may be worthwhile to ask your village shop to find out for you how much a box would be. They aren't that big, you may find you can get a bargain.

[Sparkly]

I found some in a farm shop near us. I am planning to make it using delias recipe.

[Trevor_D]

Marmalade made!!

We went to the bank yesterday to try yet again to sort out the change of signatories for the allotment society's account (a long story for another thread!) and, lo & behold, there was a pile of Seville oranges outside the greengrocer's. (Being Pinner, they were organic, of course! We'll see if there's a difference in taste!)

So today was marmalade day. And now I'm feeling holier than thou because yesterday was mincemeat day. And I've sown some summer sprouting broccoli and some Bloody Butcher tomatoes! 

[pg]

Marmalade made too!!

Thanks for the advice guys. Eventually found Sevilles in Waitrose store in Daventry (the guy running the fruit and veg stall outside had run out) and made using Tims ratio using less sugar than normal.

The resulting marmalade did come out dark, and rather sticky. I boiled it a bit too long thinking I hadn't reached setting point. Still taste fab. 2/3 of the first pot eaten already.

I also invested in a large saucepan - Masterclass range of stainless steel stockpots worked out the cheapest. Their 14litre on sale about £30 online.

Expensive marmalade this time round. But I thought as I do a lot of jamming the stockpot would pay for itself.