One Orange marmalade

A marmalade from a single orange is the way my mother used to make these marmalades.

She used to use 3-4 large oranges, and lot’s more sugar than I do – but the concept and recipe are the same. The reason I called it a one orange marmalade is because I use really large oranges – and it’s only my wife and I that will be eating it – no point in making a lot of marmalade (the kids won’t even consider any jam other than strawberry).

Well… it’s a lot of fun and not a lot of work, huge chunks of orange marmalade are wonderful on a biscuit or as a sweet treat on their own (which is how we used to eat it as kids). I suggest you give it a go – and I’m sure you will love it!

Here is how I make it:

One Orange marmalade protocol:

Preparation time:  90 minutes

Complexity:          Easy!

Required tools (as shown in the “how to” pages):

  1. A wooden spatula or long handled spoon
  2. A 1 liter pot, preferably stainless.
  3. A knife and cutting board

 Ingredients:

  1. A large orange (preferably the coarse peel type).
  2. Sugar, white granulated, half the weight of the orange.

Protocol:

Grate the orange and keep the zest aside. Weigh the orange before you start and write it down. Use a big pot (at least 1 liter of water per orange) and boil the orange for five minutes. This usually takes 30minuts or so. Once done, carefully drain the hot water and fill the pot with fresh tap water.  This step ensures the orange albedo will be considerably less bitter than it normally is. Allow the Orange to cool for 5-10 minutes and drain the water. Cut the Orange lengthwise to make long slices about 12mm (or 1/2″) thick.

Now starts the cooking time. Add one half of the original orange weight in sugar and the zest you put aside. Mix and cover with water (usually about 1/2 a cup per Orange).

Cooking the Orange must be slow. Cook on medium to low heat on a medium burner – you need to give the Orange flesh enough time to soak up the sugar (or more accurately – to give the sugar enough time to diffuse into the Orange slices). During the boil make sure to mix the marmalade every 10 minutes so the peels floating on top will also get enough sugar.

Once your syrup level is low (1/2″ or 10mm or so) start mixing more frequently and be sure to monitor the pot constantly. Test the liquid using the jam test – put a few drops of the syrup on a clean plate set at a 30degree angle (more or less, I hold it by hand) and as soon as it starts to flow down – streak over the middle of the drop with a finger. If the drop merges back to a continuous line – you need more cooking time. If it cannot do that – it’s ready!

As soon as your drop test gives the ok – it is time to shut down the heat source. Move the pot to a cool spot on the stove and  keep stirring for a few minutes. If you don’t – the bottom peels may get burned from the hot pot bottom. Once cooler – at around 72C or 162F I pour the jam or marmalade into a clean jar. I close the jar and allow it to cool over night. Once cool – because I don’t sterilize my cans – I store it in the fridge.

That’s it!

Important notes:

  • You can cut the Orange slices to any shape you like. Use stainless cookie cutters and let the kids have a ball with those!
  • If you don’t want to incorporate the zest – just freeze it and make candies with it, or add to cakes!
  • This recipe should work just fine for other citrus fruits – give it a go!

Have a sweet day,

Saar