Author Topic: Marmalade  (Read 72100 times)

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #175 on: 26 January, 2019, 02:19:05 pm »
Sevilles have been in a week! I've just bought two dozen which should mean a triple batch of ~40lbs as long as I don't stuff it up.

Now, to find the correct blade for the magimix....it should be in the garage _somewhere_
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #176 on: 26 January, 2019, 02:47:26 pm »
The marmalade I make is the predecessor of the Keiller invention of the nineteenth century. He worked out you could make it thin enough to spread whereas before it was cooked for longer to make sweets you could pick up with your fingers and eat. We use this sweetmeat marmalade as part of our re-enacting display. So, seeing the Seville oranges are about, MrsC buys 2kg before we check on stocks. Last year's marmalade is pretty well untouched, so we don't need any more of that.
However, we also make 'suckets' (a generic seventeenth century term for sweetmeats) and one recipe is for a wet-sucket of orange pills (C16 spelling is wonderful). These are pieces of orange or lemon peel cooked in syrup, much like stem ginger. So I will be doing some of those later. At the moment I'm in the process of making some candied peel, also with the Sevilles. This is a first time, so I've no idea how it will turn out.
It's all oranges and sugar though.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #177 on: 27 January, 2019, 07:27:29 am »

Now, to find the correct blade for the magimix....it should be in the garage _somewhere_

There's a thing - people's options for cutting the peel. I'd not use the magimix myself as it would result in too thin, too much hacked to pieces peel. My preferred method is to do it one orange-worth at a time. I scrape out any of the skin, leaving pith as I like it bitter (and with the magimix juicer doing a better job reaming than by hand, that was much easier this year). I cut the halves into quarters and stack them up, four together.   I then use a kitchen knife to chop them, along the "rugby ball" shape starting at the pointy bit. Any alternatives?

Another small discovery was that Laphroaig Quarter Cask (which I picked up half price in Waitrose, along with a number of other slightly recherche malts like Talisker Storm, lord knows why but I wasn't complaining) is absolutely perfect for marmalade and will be reserved for it in future. I wasn't that impressed with it as a whisky, like Laphroaig only more so, but the combination is nigh on divine.


Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #178 on: 02 February, 2019, 03:40:02 pm »
I applaud your attention to detail but I don't have a patience to cut it by hand. I did find the blade and it's a very wide spaced one because I also like chunky peel. You're right though, you do end up with quite a few small pieces in each jar as well as the segments but I can live with it.

I've got a new Jam thermometer. The rather funky Lakeland digital thermometer/spatula one took a trip through the dishwasher by mistake so it has been replaced by a bare bones Kilner branded analogue dial type thing. It doesn't seem to move very smoothly but it does the job. It seems to correlate pretty well with the results here:
https://www.kitchenhealssoul.com/making-marmalade-cooking-temperatures-the-jam-setting-point/

I went to 220F which turned out slightly lighter than last year's batch but nicely fruity.
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PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #179 on: 02 February, 2019, 05:10:07 pm »
Just made mine, think it might be overcooked :(

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #180 on: 02 February, 2019, 05:47:08 pm »
Cut it into cubes...

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #181 on: 02 February, 2019, 07:56:16 pm »
Cut it into cubes...
See my post further up!

(But if it's overcooked, so burnt rather than just overset, I can't help, I'm afraid)
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Marmalade
« Reply #182 on: 03 February, 2019, 11:19:06 am »
Was in Morrisons the other day and they had Seville oranges so on an impulse I bought two kilos. Made a batch of marmalade yesterday. Didn’t have enough preserving sugar so made it up with muscovado. Added the juice of three lemons and decided I didn’t want to waste the skins so chopped them up and added them to the oranges.

Very happy with the results. The muscovado gives it a rich, dark colour and slightly treacly flavour, and the lemons add a nice tanginess.

Using the thermapen is a good way to avoid overcooking - off the heat at exactly 105°C, perfect set.

Filled 12 jars, which should keep me going for a while, though I’ve already made good inroads into the first jar this morning for testing purposes.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #183 on: 03 February, 2019, 12:02:47 pm »
Just made mine, think it might be overcooked :(

Well it ended up OKish. Tastes fine, the peel perhaps a bit too chewy but quite thick to spread.

Wowbagger

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Re: Marmalade
« Reply #184 on: 04 February, 2019, 10:55:02 am »
It is wet, cold and miserable today, so a good day for making marmalade. It's a shame that there's no rugby to watch.

I have discovered that we possess a plastic measuring jug with gradations on it which claim that a quart is 32 flozzes. This, of course, is bollocks, but it is exacerbated by the fact that 32 flozzes of water, when weighed, demonstrate that this jug isn't even fit to measure inferior US quarts.
Quote from: Dez
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hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #185 on: 04 February, 2019, 12:18:44 pm »
The gradations on our Pyrex 'measuring' jug seem to be in different places on its opposite sides.

Matters little for custard and gravy mix but...

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #186 on: 04 February, 2019, 12:40:55 pm »
One of the reasons I tend to use the scales for measuring liquids.* It may not be perfectly accurate but it's likely to be more accurate than the graded measuring jug.


*especially when the recipe calls for alcoholic liquids ;)
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #187 on: 04 February, 2019, 12:54:58 pm »
Meh, I can't think any recipe, especially for jams, is going to be that sensitive to small variations in quantities.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #188 on: 04 February, 2019, 01:04:29 pm »
Pastry.

Oh, and I did discover why I've been having such problems setting in years gone by, by dint of pressing my digital thermometer into service. Both. Yes, both my jam making thermometers over read by about 3 degrees. When will I see jam again, ooo-ooo?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #189 on: 04 February, 2019, 02:52:16 pm »
Meh, I can't think any recipe, especially for jams, is going to be that sensitive to small variations in quantities.

I think water content is fairly critical but I don't add any and just microwave till jammy...

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #190 on: 13 January, 2020, 11:17:47 pm »
Thread revival - it's that time of year.

When we cleared the former parental home I foundn, pinned up in the kitche, Dad's recipe for pressure cooked marmalade. I took it, along with the suspiciously domed bottom Prestige 75 pressure cooker and the Big Stoneware Jars he used to put a year's supply of marmalade into. The jars came from Smallfield hospital, where mum was a Crool Nurse. I try not to think what their original purpose was.

Anyway, this evening I  had a crack of making my first batch of marmalade.  The hardest part was translating the old man's hieroglyphics into English. It's now in jars, cooling. I used a jam thermometer so it should set ok. I'll find out in the morning.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #191 on: 14 January, 2020, 12:12:58 am »
I haven't bought any oranges this year yet. They are in Waitrose - at £2.79 a kilo. I will probably nip out to a local greengrocers where I expect them to be much cheaper. I've still got 2 or 3 kilos in the freezer from last year, just waiting to be turned into marmalade. I made some just before Christmas so I don't need to do any just yet.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Marmalade
« Reply #192 on: 14 January, 2020, 11:07:15 am »
Thread revival - it's that time of year.

When we cleared the former parental home I foundn, pinned up in the kitche, Dad's recipe for pressure cooked marmalade. I took it, along with the suspiciously domed bottom Prestige 75 pressure cooker and the Big Stoneware Jars he used to put a year's supply of marmalade into. The jars came from Smallfield hospital, where mum was a Crool Nurse. I try not to think what their original purpose was.

Anyway, this evening I  had a crack of making my first batch of marmalade.  The hardest part was translating the old man's hieroglyphics into English. It's now in jars, cooling. I used a jam thermometer so it should set ok. I'll find out in the morning.

I bought our Sevilles at the weekend.  I use a Dan Lepard "recipe" from the BBC Food website, which involves pressure cooking, albeit the already shredded peel. It worked really well last year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/medium-cut_seville_70291

As for set, I always test the set on a saucer that's been in the freezer for a while. 

That'll be Friday/Saturdays job.


We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Wowbagger

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Re: Marmalade
« Reply #193 on: 11 June, 2020, 12:49:56 am »
I relieved the freezer of 3lb oranges today and made just over 11lb marmalade. It's up to its usual standard!  :thumbsup:
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #194 on: 11 June, 2020, 11:28:26 am »
Arses. I finished the last of my 2020 batch a couple of days ago and don't have the luxury of having another 3lb of oranges in the freezer so I have had to buy a jar of ready-made stuff.  :(

Tbh, my last batch of marmalade wasn't that good anyway - for some reason, when making it, I got the idea it into my head that the setting point was 120ºC rather than 105ºC, so kept the heat up until I eventually realised it was never going to reach 120ºC, but by that time it was over-reduced... Ironically, I could probably have got another few jars worth out of it if I hadn't cocked up. Tasted OK, just a bit thick and intense, and the peel was a bit tough.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

robgul

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Re: Marmalade
« Reply #195 on: 11 June, 2020, 11:50:38 am »
I opened a new jar of the 2020 home-made this morning (plenty left, should last pretty much to December) - a little odd that it's a bit runnier than usual?   

Grilling Mrs robgul (the manufacturer) on the matter she couldn't understand why . . . 4 batches were made (1 of Nigel Slater's recipe and 3 of another) so we'll monitor to try and fathom why.

Slight problem for next season is that a new jam pan will be required - in the past the aluminium pan has worked on a gas hob . . . we now have induction so a steel pan will be necessary  (and before anyone suggests it, the "steel plate converters" don't work)

Rob

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #196 on: 11 June, 2020, 06:24:22 pm »
Think I might make another Lime Marmalade Sauce for chicken, with the other jar of Rose's that's been in the cupboard for 8 years...

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #197 on: 13 June, 2020, 10:07:52 pm »
I opened a new jar of the 2020 home-made this morning (plenty left, should last pretty much to December) - a little odd that it's a bit runnier than usual?   

Grilling Mrs robgul (the manufacturer) on the matter she couldn't understand why . . . 4 batches were made (1 of Nigel Slater's recipe and 3 of another) so we'll monitor to try and fathom why.

Slight problem for next season is that a new jam pan will be required - in the past the aluminium pan has worked on a gas hob . . . we now have induction so a steel pan will be necessary  (and before anyone suggests it, the "steel plate converters" don't work)

Rob

My mother's aluminium preserving pan has gone to my daughter. She idolised "Grandma Beckie" and is always pleased to receive her heirlooms. We already had a stainless steel pan suitable for the induction hob which we bought probably about 18 years ago with a lot of other matching pans. It works perfectly well, but I'm a little suspicious of the welds on the handle. they look quite delicate and we had one break on on of the saucepan lids once. I hate to think what the result might be with the pan containing almost 12lb scalding marmalade, should one of the handles part company rom the body of the pan.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #198 on: 14 June, 2020, 11:05:25 am »
I opened a new jar of the 2020 home-made this morning (plenty left, should last pretty much to December) - a little odd that it's a bit runnier than usual?   

Grilling Mrs robgul (the manufacturer) on the matter she couldn't understand why . . . 4 batches were made (1 of Nigel Slater's recipe and 3 of another) so we'll monitor to try and fathom why.

Slight problem for next season is that a new jam pan will be required - in the past the aluminium pan has worked on a gas hob . . . we now have induction so a steel pan will be necessary  (and before anyone suggests it, the "steel plate converters" don't work)

Rob

My mother's aluminium preserving pan has gone to my daughter. She idolised "Grandma Beckie" and is always pleased to receive her heirlooms. We already had a stainless steel pan suitable for the induction hob which we bought probably about 18 years ago with a lot of other matching pans. It works perfectly well, but I'm a little suspicious of the welds on the handle. they look quite delicate and we had one break on on of the saucepan lids once. I hate to think what the result might be with the pan containing almost 12lb scalding marmalade, should one of the handles part company rom the body of the pan.

One of my daughters has bagged the aluminium pan (she's also asked for the Kitchen Aid mixer to be listed for her in our wills!!)

Rob

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Marmalade
« Reply #199 on: 04 July, 2020, 09:52:19 am »
My sister has just sent me a picture of some three fruit marmalade she has made. "Normal" oranges plus grapefruit and something else, the grapefruit doing bitter duties that Seville oranges do in regular maramlade.  Nothing special I thought. Except the oranges came from a tree in her garden.  FFS.

(She is in Sydney, where such things are possible)
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)