Martha Collison's Seville marmalade

1 Start by preparing the fruit. Set up a sieve over a preserving pan, or your largest, deepest, lidded saucepan (with a capacity of at least 5 litres). Wash and scrub the oranges well, then halve each one around the centre.

2 Squeeze the juice from each orange into the pan through the sieve, then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and seeds, and place into the sieve. Use a spoon or a serrated knife to scrape a little of the pith from the orange peel (leave a small amount) and place it into the sieve.

3 Slice each piece of peel into strips – I like mine cut very finely, but if you prefer a coarser marmalade, slice the peel up in a more chunky fashion. Place the sliced peel into the saucepan with the juice and add 1.75 litres of cold water and the lemon juice.

4 Empty the contents of the sieve onto a large piece of muslin, then gather together to make a pouch and knot the top or tie with cooks’ string. Place the bag into the pan and cover loosely with the lid. Bring to a simmer over a low heat for 2 hours until the peel is tender and the liquid has reduced by around one third. When you rub a slightly cooled piece of peel between your fingers, it should break down easily.

5 Place 2-3 saucers into the freezer. When the peel is tender, remove the muslin bag from the pan and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes. Keep the pan simmering on a low heat. When the muslin is cool enough to handle, squeeze the bag hard to get all the thick, gloopy, pectin-rich juice out into the pan. Once you’ve squeezed out as much as you can, discard the bag and stir in the juices.

6 Add the sugar to the pan, stir to combine and bring the heat up to a rolling boil. Cook the marmalade for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, before starting to test for a set. You’re looking for a temperature of 105°C on a sugar thermometer, and when a small amount is dropped onto a cool saucer, it should wrinkle and leave a clear line when a finger is run through it after being left for a minute or so. Continue boiling the mixture until a set is reached.

7 Remove the pan from the heat, skim off any scum from the top and allow to cool for 15 minutes before pouring into sterilised jars. Top with a wax disc and secure the lids, then label the jars and store in a cool, dark place until ready to eat.

Use within 12 months of making. Once opened, jars should be stored in the fridge and used within one month.

Cooks Tip

To make mixed citrus marmalade

375g Seville oranges
1 small grapefruit
2 small limes

Weigh all the fruit – you should have a total weight of 700-800g. Follow the recipe (above), using grapefruit and limes as well as oranges for the peel and juice in the marmalade.