Whisky Seville Orange Marmalade

Step 1

Score oranges and lemons into quarters, cutting only through the peel, but without piercing the fruit. Remove the peel and slice it into fine strips. Squeeze the peeled fruit into a jug, keeping ALL pulp, pips, and pith.

Peel the skin away and cut each quarter into fine strips. Squeeze each of the peeled oranges and lemons into a jug. Keep ALL of the pulp, pips and pith Step 2

Step 2

Top up the juice with cold water to 4 litres and add to the shredded peel. Tie the pulp, pith, and pips in a muslin bag and submerge it in the liquid. Cover and leave in a cold place overnight.

The next day, transfer everything to a large stainless steel or preserving pan, pushing the muslin bag under the liquid. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently until the peel is soft and translucent (40 minutes–1½ hours). Chill two saucers in the fridge to test the marmalade later.

Step 3

Once the fruit is ready, lift out the muslin bag and leave it in a bowl until it is cool enough to handle. Add the sugar to the peel and juice and turn up the heat, bringing the marmalade to a rolling boil. Squeeze every last bit of juice from the reserved muslin bag into the pan to extract all of the sticky, jelly-like substance that contains the pectin. Skim off any froth that rises to the surface. Leave at a fast boil for 15 minutes.

Remove a tablespoon of the preserve, put it on the cold plate, and place back into the fridge for a few minutes. If a thick skin forms on the surface of the refrigerated marmalade, then it is ready and you can switch the pan off. If the tester is still liquid, then let the marmalade boil for longer. Test every 10 to 15 minutes. Some mixtures can take up to 50 minutes to reach setting consistency.

Step 4

Ladle into the sterilised jars and when it has cooled slightly, pour 1 tablespoon of whiskey on the top – no need to stir. Cover with waxed paper discs and seal whilst still hot.