Marmalade recipes

[scarey55]

Oooh, very interested - looking forward to seeing the pics.

[Hilary B]

Okay peeps, today I was in Tesco and there were a load of grapefruit reduced to a sensible price. I bought four, 5 lemons, 5 limes and 4 big oranges. I have roughly chopped this little lot and it is being juiced in my steam juicer. The plan is to make a mixed citrus jelly marmalade - but all the recipes I can find for marmalade say to add water etc etc. Can anyone help me work out whether I need to add water to the fruit juice (if so, how much) and what quantity of sugar to the said juice.

Hoping that since the fruit still has its peel, pips etc, there will be sufficient pectin but I do have two kilos of jam sugar which I could use if that would be a good idea and I also have a bottle of pectin.

The best pectin (and some of the flavour) come from the fruit peel. I would always weight the whole fruit, and add just less than twice that weight of sugar. BTW, if making marmalade from fruit not sold for the purpose, remember most of it has wax on the skins, intended to prevent the fruit 'going off' in storage (contains the same active ingredient as the potion the farmer gives his sheep to kill off internal parasites, so that marmalade should mean you don't get worms).
Just guessing about the juice extraction rate, but I would try about 1˝lb sugar per pint of juice if you think there is going to be enough pectin.

[Birdie Wife]

Made a big batch of marmalade a couple of weeks ago from the "Mamade" tin - unbelievable value, a tin costs Ł0.99 and made about 8 jars. I added a dessertspoon full of black treacle and it made the lovely orange colour even richer - can't wait to try it

[Hilary B]

My Mum used to make a lot of Mamade, the lemon version as well, when she could find it. It's good stuff, but I prefer to start from basic ingredients.

[Phreddy]

Wifey makes lots of marmalade:
Lemon: this involves cutting and soaking over night.
Tomato and Citrus: we found this one this year, made it with grapefruit and lemon. Wonderful.
I will ask her the quantities if anyone is interested.