GRAPEFRUIT MARMALADE

Good Morning to you,

Tell me, if I were to ask you why toast was created, what would your answer be?

I would have to say, it was created as a perfect accompaniment for homemade marmalade.

I had intended to buy some Seville oranges this week, as they are only available for a short period of time, but a friend of mine gave me 3 juicy grapefruits.  We halved one of the grapefruits and shared it for breakfast, but the remaining two, I decided to keep, so I could make some grapefruit marmalade.

The sunshine in the photograph was a happy accident and has enhanced the golden colour of the marmalade. The tablecloth I am using is one Phyllis embroidered as a young  woman,  over 60 years ago.....the stitches are so neat.

Let us get started. Gather your ingredients and equipment. You will need,

1 preserving pan

or

1 large deep, heavy based, saucepan

1 saucer

4 medium sized glass jars
4 wax discs 
4 lids

I save  glass jars for making jam and marmalade. Sterilize the jars, by washing with soapy water, then rinse. Pour boiling water over the jars then place them in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a dish washer to  sterilize the jars.

INGREDIENTS

 

2 large grapefruits 
weighing approximately 800g



juice of 2 lemons

1kg preserving sugar

Place a saucer in the deep freezer

Put the grapefruit into a large saucepan, filled with enough water so they float freely.

Bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours, by which time the grapefruit should be very soft.

Add more hot water from a kettle if the liquid is evaporating.  I found I topped up my saucepan 3 times.

Drain, place the fruit on a board

Slice the cooked grapefruit thinly and remove pips.

Then chop the slices, using the whole fruit,
pith and all.

 

 Put the chopped grapefruit back into the saucepan,

add the lemon juice



and sugar.

Let the sugar dissolve over a gentle heat and then bring to the boil until setting point of 110 degrees centigrade is reached, which will take about 15 minutes. 

If you do not have a sugar thermometer, use the saucer which we placed in the deep freezer. 

Take the saucer out of the freezer and carefully place a teaspoon of marmalade onto the cold saucer. Chill for 2 minutes, then push the marmalade with your finger, if the surface wrinkles, the setting point has been reached, if not, boil for a little longer and test again, but remember to place a saucer in the deep freeze again.

Remove the marmalade from the heat and  remove any film which had formed on the surface with a slotted spoon. I allowed the marmalade to stand for 15 minutes, then stirred to distribute the peel.

Ladle into warm sterilized jars.



Cover with waxed discs.
Leave to cool before adding the lids
and labelling the jars. 

I should have waited a couple of days to test the marmalade, but I could not wait, I enjoyed some on hot buttered toast for my breakfast this morning and I was not disappointed. There is nothing like home made marmalade.

Ivy always made her own marmalade, jam and chutney's.  Whatever was in season, it was bottled, to be used later in the year. Although grapefruits are not a seasonal fruit, they were a kind gift.

I found this recipe in How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. This is an unusual method as normally I would put the pips, flesh and pith into a muslin bag....but this way there is much less fussing. The hardest thing is making sure the water does not evaporate when boiling the grapefruits.

Next week I am going to test this recipe with Seville Oranges.

Take care and I will see you later in the week.

This week I shall be joining,

Karen from My Little Home and Garden
Natasha at Say G'Day Saturday