Marmalade

Our local farm shop has the new season organic Seville oranges in stock and I am going to make the first batch of my favourite marmalade. I use my Granny's recipe - very simple and although it looks like it's a bit of a hassle, in fact it is really easy. One of the things that I particularly like about the recipe is that it is spread over 3 or 4 days and so I can do a bit now and then...

• Seville oranges
• Sugar (you can use sugar with added pectin if you like a firmer set)
• Water

Day 1: Weigh, wash and cut into 1/4's then slice thinly, removing all blemishes and pips (save the pips, wrap in muslin). Soak the fruit and muslin wrapped pips in water overnight.

Day 2: Bring the water with the fruit in it to boil and simmer until the fruit is very soft. Leave overnight.

Day 3: Add sugar, bring to the boil very gently. Dissolve sugar completely. Once dissolved, boil rapidly until set is reached. Bottle in warm, sterile jars. Cool completely and seal the next day with wax discs.

And it is a great base recipe for other citrus fruits - I use it for my grapefruit, lemon and lime marmalades too.