Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Spring is Here


Marmalade, originally uploaded by poormetal.

To honor this season I made orange marmalade, using the fruit from my parents orange tree, the recipe is as follows:

Six navel oranges (if your parents a have tree take take'm)

Three meyer lemons

Ten cups water

Nine and a quarter cups sugar

Two teaspoons cardamon

One teaspoon ginger

This recipe takes me three days to make, though it can be done in two.  The first day is very easy, stick your fruit in the freezer.  Freezing the fruit makes it easy to get thin slices the next day and you don't have the oozing juice mess you get when you have fresh fruit, more juice in the jam just makes it tastier.  Once the fruit is frozen, slice in halve then slice in very thin (almost paper thin) halve moon slices.  Set aside and let thaw (this will not take very long due to the thinness of the slices).  In a large stock pot add your fruit and your water and bring to a boil.  While boiling mix sugar and spices together.  When your water has come to a rapid boil remove from heat and stir in sugar and spice mixture.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  Cover and set out over night to allow mixture to cool to room temperature.  The next day bring the mixture up to a low boil on medium low heat and let it cook (simmering) for two hours, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not burn and stick to the bottom of your pot.  Bring your heat up top medium and let boil for twenty minutes, your candy thermometer should register 220.  A good way to check to see if it is ready is to let some cool in the fridge (so it is at room temp. basically).  If it is at the perfect place between runny and thick then you are good to go.  If it is runny cook more, if it is really thick add some water.  Once your marmalade is ready, do the canning thing.

This recipe was adapted from 'The Barefoot Contessa at Home'. I played with the sugar quantity (less than the original recipe called for) and added spices.