Today I bring you two experiments: Orange and Ginger Marmalade, and Gooseberry and Orange Jam.
Experiment 2: Orange and Ginger Marmalade
Recipe: Delia’s Complete Cookery Course (modified)
2lb Seville Oranges
4pt Water
1 Lemon
4lb Sugar
Piece of Ginger
Theory:
Halve the oranges and lemon, squeeze, and add the juice, along with the water to the pan. Thinly slice orange skin, and add to the liquid. Place all the pips, pith etc in muslin square and tie into a bag, and tie to the handle of the pan so that all the bits inside it are submerged.
Simmer everything for about 2 hours, or until the orange peel is soft. Take the bag of pips out, and leave to cool, and warm sugar in a fairly cool oven.
Add sugar to the pan, and stir in sugar. The sugar must completely dissolve before the marmalade is allowed to come to the boil again. Squeeze the bag of pips and get as much of the sticky gloop out and into the pan as possible. Chances are it will still be really hot, so be careful. Or use two saucers and put the bag between them.
Let it fast boil for 10mins, stirring if you feel like it.
Then test for set by putting a teaspoonful (long handled sundae spoons are great for this) on a plate and sticking it in the fridge for a minute. Push the marmalade with your finger, if it crinkles, it’s set. If not, repeat in 10mins. Let the marmalade rest for 10mins off the heat, then pour into cleaned, hot jars, and seal.
Results: 11 and a bit jars of Orange Marmalade.
Comments: I used about a thumbful of ginger that has been in the fridge for, well, a bit. I think, as it has no taste of ginger at all, more is required, and it should probably be nice and fresh. However, it is apparently very nice (I don’t like marmalade, so I’m dependant on my test subjects for this information), so the old ginger hasn’t hurt it.
Experiment 3: Gooseberry and Orange Jam
Recipe: The Complete Farmhouse Kitchen Cookbook
3lbs Gooseberries
2 Oranges
3/4pt Water
3 1/2lb Sugar
Theory:
Add juice from oranges, water, and gooseberries to pan. Thinly slice orange peel and add to pan. Simmer until fruit is soft. Warm sugar, and add to pan. Ensure all sugar is dissolved before allowing jam to come to the boil. Fast boil for 10mins then test for set. Fill warmed jars, and seal.
Results: 12 jars of pinky-orange jam.
Comments: Looks really pretty, with the pinkish tint and dark spots from the gooseberry pips. Tastes yummy on fresh bread. I used frozen gooseberries, so didn’t top and tailing them as the original recipe says.
