Honey Marmalade by Beeswax Alchemy
This delicious honey marmalade recipe is made with Seville oranges and our own Beeswax Alchemy honey, and we also add a dash of whisky – an optional extra!
The addition of honey, against a reduced amount of sugar, adds a lovey background taste that lingers on the tongue after the initial bittersweet taste of the marmalade.
We buy organic Seville oranges, direct from the farmer via https://www.crowdfarming.com/en
This amazing site is well worth a visit and means that you can support small scale farmers that are unable to sell their products via the large corporations. (We have never had a disappointing box of goodies.)
Recipe
Makes approximately 7-8lbs of honey marmalade
Ingredients
1.5 kg Seville Oranges
2-3 litres of water
Juice of one lemon
1.5 kilos of unrefined sugar
1 jar of 454grams honey
130ml Whisky (optional)
Before you start your honey marmalade recipe you will need the following to hand
Plate/saucer or jam thermometer
Preserving pan or heavy bottomed saucepan
Sieve
Ladle
Sterilised jars and lids or wax seals (8 1lb jars)
(To sterilise your jars run them through the dishwasher or wash by hand and place in a pre-heated oven 140c for 25 minutes)
How to…
Wipe the Seville Oranges with a damp cloth, making sure if any are damaged, they are discarded.
Place the oranges in a large pan of water, and cover with the water, weighing the oranges down with a heat proof plate so they remain submersed under the water. Place your pan on the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cover and simmer for two hours, or until the oranges are very soft and squishy, and the skin easily pierced. (I bring the oranges to a boil and then place the pan in an oven at 80c which means that it uses less energy & creates less steam)
Remove the oranges from the pan and place them to one side to cool. Keep the cooking liquid in the pan.
When the oranges are cool enough to handle, cut the oranges in half, and using a large spoon, scoop all the insides of the orange into the pan containing the reserved liquid. This should be all the fibrous segments of the oranges, and the pips and pith under the outer skin of the orange, leaving you with a shiny thin skin which will be used for the rind in the honey marmalade.
Simmer the contents of the pan for 15 minutes.
While the pan simmers, cut the peel, discarding any blemishes, into strips – whichever way you like it – thick or thin, chunky, or not. The amount of peel and how you cut it is very much a personal touch.
When your 15-minute simmer has finished, place a sieve over a preserving pan and empty the contents of your pan into the sieve. I use a muslin cloth in the sieve, and when cool enough squeeze the cloth ensuring that all the goodness form the pith and orange segments are squeezed into the preserving pan. If you don’t have this set up, use a ladle or large spoon to squeeze the pulp through the sieve. Whichever method you use is ensuring you get as much pectin and goodness and flavour from the oranges.
Add the sliced orange peel, squeezed lemon juice, sugar and honey.
Place your saucers in the fridge, or if you are using a thermometer, place this in your mixture.
Give the mixture a good stir, and bring to a gentle heat, continuously stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a rapid boiling point for approx. 8-15 minutes.
Keep testing for the correct set by spooning a little of the marmalade on a cold saucer from the
freezer. Leave the mixture for a few seconds on the saucer, and then push with your finger. If the marmalade wrinkles it is ready, if not boil for a few more minutes.
If you are using the thermometer method, you are aiming for precisely 104.5°C.
Stir in the whisky (optional extra)
Using a flat spoon, gently skim the surface removing any scum, and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Stir your honey marmalade so the peel is even throughout your mixture, and then pour into sterilised jars. Screw on the lids, use a wax disc if your lids are not a food safe lid, and finally label.
