During the coldest months of the year it’s also orange season on the island. The trees are heavy with fruit everywhere you look.
As we head into a new year I’m trying to get us further away from processed food. With an aim to replace all those jars and cans with homemade versions. They keep just as well as but you know exactly what’s gone into it.
Christmas as a child would not have been the same without an orange at the end of my stocking. Now I still always have a bowl of oranges, satsumas and mandarines around at this time of year. I’m convinced the vitamins are just what we need in the colder darker days of winter.
This orange and ginger marmalade recipe is a complete mix of different ones that I’ve tried and tested for the last 2 winters. The result has just the right hit of ginger for me. But it’s also very flexible you can change the flavours easily just keep to the quantities of fruit to sugar and water.
- 1kg oranges
- 115g fresh ginger chopped
- 1kg sugar
- 1 lemon
- 4 pints of water
- 2 pieces of crystallised ginger finely chopped
Place the oranges, lemon, fresh ginger, and water into your saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours..
Remove from the heat and carefully lift out the oranges. If they haven’t popped open in the water they can burst and will be very hot.
Scoop the flesh, pith and pips out of the oranges. Return to the liquid, bring it back to the boil and let it simmer while you shred the peel. I prefer mine quite thin so it can take a while.
Now sieve the liquid by placing a muslin bag or tea towel in your sieve. Once most of the liquid has gone through tie the bag up and leave to drip for a couple of hours until it stops dripping. Resist squeezing the bag as this is what makes the marmalade clear.
Measure out the liquid and add any extra water to make it up to 4 pints and return to the pan. Add the shredded peel, the crystallised ginger and the sugar.
While the liquid is coming up to temperature wash, rinse and sterilise your jars by placing in the oven at 100C.
As the liquid comes back to the boil be careful as molten sugar is extremely hot used a long handle wooden spoon. If you have one place a jam thermometer in the pan and bring to a roiling boil until it reaches 104C or test the setting point on a chilled dish.
Remove from the heat, allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes, this ensures that peel floats in the marmalade. Then carefully pour the mixture into your hot sterile jars, I recommend using a jam funnel and ladle to avoid too much mess. Seal tightly and allow to cool.
In theory the marmalade will last for up to 12 months unopened and a month open in the fridge, but mine never stays around for that long.
Utensils you will need:
Large jam pot/saucepan Long handle wooden spoon muslin bag or teatowel
Stainless steel funnel Sterilised jars and lids Jam thermometer
The finished marmalade will keep up to a year unopened and about a month once opened. This recipe is very flexible it’s worked with lemons, mandarins and grapefruit, just keep the quantities of sugar to fruit and water the same Don’t like ginger? Then leave it out. What other flavours do you think I should try?
I’m off to finish making a load now and will upload a picture of a finished jar later.
I want to make orange marmalade with crystalized ginger only. Im nuts about crystalized ginger and marmalade. Im also glad i don’t need pectin
Without pectin it can take longer to make but it’s still possible it can help to add a lemon which has more natural pectin. I know some who put the lemon pips and pith in a muslin bag to add more natural pectin and won’t change the flavour. You made need to experiment as I’ve found some citrus fruits have more natural pectin than others. I love using ginger in all it’s forms, let me know how it works out.
How much orange peel do you add?
All the peel from all the oranges in the recipe
Do you slice the oranges in half before boiling? In the last step you mention the rinds will float–do you put those in the jars as well?
No they go into the water whole, they will burst open during the cooking process… yes the rinds are finely chopped and put back in, though I know some people prefer to leave them out, traditional English marmalade has the rinds, it also adds to the flavour. If you give the jar a shake before it’s cooled completely they will distribute evenly in the marmalade. I hope you enjoyed making it, sorry for the late reply
Looks delicious. What is the size of the crystallized ginger pieces you use? Have you ever made it without fresh ginger?
I have always thought the more the better so added as much ginger in as many different types as I can. I have never tried it without fresh ginger but let me know if you do. The crystallized ginger pieces are thumb-tip sized thank you
Amanda, I like your recipe and am going to make it but do you peel the ginger before chopping it, please? Pauline
Yes I peel the fresh ginger, thank you and I hope you enjoy the recipe
Hi Amanda, I’m a bit confused. What do you do with the flesh of the oranges once you’ve sieved it??
Hi, you throw that away, the only thing that goes back in the pan will be the rind.
Hi Amanda just about to make this marmalade, how many jars will I need please?
8/10 small or 6 medium sized jars should be enough. Each make changes slightly as it depends on how long it takes to come to setting point as to how much is there in the end. So many factors change the setting point including the weather here… I always have a few extra jars around just in case.
I am cooking it at this moment, I’ve never made marmalade so fingers crossed.
I make my Marmalade in the microwave.
Its so easy.
Peel the fruit removing the pith & pips.
cut up the fruit & some of the rind.
weigh the fruit with rind & place in microwaveable bowl & adding same weight of sugar.cover & cook for 7 mins. stir & cook in 2 min. intervals till its the texture you like.Some people like it thick & other people prefer it to be a bit runny.Then put in jars.
Sounds like a great way to make it. We don’t have a microwave so I always use a pan but I’m sure some will find this very helpful. Thank you
Would microwave marmalade work with the ginger? Also how much rind? No need to add water?
I’m not sure about microwave marmalade as I’ve never tried that, we don’t own a microwave. I use all the rind from the oranges, yes there is 4 pints of water.
YUM! Who knew it was so easy to make orange marmalade? Thanks for the recipe!
Oh, that looks delicious and I love the flavors in it. I’m so with you about trying to get away from processed foods.
I think it’s so important to know what’s in our food, thank you 🙂
Loving the combo of the orange with the ginger! I bet this tastes amazing. 🙂
I love the photo of the orange tree, so beautiful! I love the marmalade too!
This looks delicious. One of my daughters has a citrus allergy so I don’t think we’ll ever make this – do you think it’s possible to try with a different acidic fruit, such as kiwifruit?
Thank you, I’ve tried it with lemons and grapefruit which both worked great though not with kiwi as that doesn’t grow here. I’d be more tempted to treat kiwi like a soft jam fruit though which would be less time consuming to make.
This sounds so yummy! I bet it far surpasses any shop bought one you could buy. Thanks for linking up with #sundaystars x
This sounds lush!!!!! Yummy! #sundaystars xx
This sounds incredible although every time I see your blog name I think I want all those ingredients. Gorgeous recipe. Thanks for linking up with us for this first #sundaystars of 2016. Hope to see you next week.
Mmmm lovely, can smell it from here! X