Homemade Seville Orange Marmalade!

It has been a few days since my last post and I am glad to say we did manage to get food shopping last Saturday *see previous post*. Oh but besides foodie items I must tell you, a gorgeous stack of three cake tins in various sizes with little cupcake designs on them magically appeared in my trolley, does this ever happen to you when shopping or is it just me?!?! Sunday night was a white wash of snow again and all I have wanted to do in the last few days is snuggle up in a fluffy warm blanket and hibernate and be a couch potato!

Today felt appropriate for making a huge batch of marmalade – now Paddington Bear *a marmalade sandwich-eating bear from darkest Peru* would have been extremely pleased had he come calling at my door after potting-up my golden preserves! Seville oranges are short in season from January to February in the U.K. and such a treasured import from Spain. There are many combinations of different fruits you can use to make marmalade but in my opinion Seville oranges are, “the” royalty of oranges to create the best homemade marmalade! Their sharp juices blend magnificently to the sweetness of the added sugar in marmalade. I also like to stir through a very small quantity of Scotch whisky when the preserve has cooled enough - it isn’t a dominate flavour but enhances the flavour of the marmalade.

Seville Orange Marmalade close-up

Of course this delectable marmalade can be added in cakes, puddings etc but my favourite is spreading thickly onto warm buttered toast, oh such joy - long live homemade marmalade!

The Golden Preserve

Homemade Seville Orange Marmalade

Makes approx 6kg – I used 7 small kilner jars when potting up.

Ingredients
2kg (approx 4 lbs) of Seville oranges
4 lemons
4 litres (approx 8 pints) of water
4kg (approx 8 lbs) granulated sugar or preserving sugar
12tsp Scotch whisky (optional)


Method

Put all the fruit into bowl of warm water and give them a gentle scrub to remove any impurities from the skin. Place the fruit into a large saucepan/ preserving pan with a lid and add the water and a lid and simmer for about 1½ -2 hours until the skins are soft and can be effortlessly pierced with a skewer. Remove the fruit from the water and place into a large dish/plate, to cool. Keep the cooking water – you will need this later on.

Place all the sugar in a large roasting tin and place in a low oven to warm through; this helps the sugar to dissolve quicker.

When the fruit is cool enough to handle cut them in half scoop out the pulp and pips and place with any remaining juice and water from the dish back into cooking water. Cut the orange halves very finely into shreds, *I shred about halve the peel to use – its personnel choice how much*.

Bring the pan up to a boil for 15 minutes. Strain out the pulp, pips and put all the liquid back into the pan. Add the warmed sugar and the shredded peel to the pan then heat the mixture slowly, stirring until it has fully dissolved.

Bring to the boil and continue to boil rapidly without stirring for approx 30 minutes. This should take the marmalade to setting point, *see below for setting point*, if not keep boiling.

Leave the marmalade in the hot pan to cool at little it will show signs of the peel suspended in the mixture. Add the whisky if using and stir though.

Carefully ladle the marmalade into warm sterilised jars, seal the finished jars.

*To sterilise jars* – either by putting through the dish washer or washing the jars and lids and drying thoroughly before placing the jars in a roasting tin in a low oven for at least 30 minutes.

*Testing for setting point* - put a small spoonful of marmalade onto a very cold plate – I like to put two plates in the freezer for this. Allow to cool a little and then push it with your finger. The marmalade will wrinkle up when ready - see my post for Lemon & Lime Marmalade this post has pictures showing setting point.

Marmalade Cake

Well as I stated in my previous post, Rosie is back, oh yes, armed to the teeth for combat with whisks, spoons, bowls etc at the ready to bake and share with you! I am absent the combat jacket I must add *giggle*.....

I adore citrus flavours as much as chocolate *oh the words citrus and chocolate send my taste buds into salivating ecstasy*. Peeking out at me from my kitchen shelf was a jar of wonderful homemade marmalade just waiting to be used! So here I present you a moist sponge cake with orange flavours running through each bite, which take you on a journey of tantalisation for your taste buds. Enjoy!

Marmalade Cake

Ingredients
Cake
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour, sifted
175g (6 oz) softened butter
175g (6 oz) soft brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Grated zest of 1 orange
Juice ½ orange
2 tbsp thin-cut marmalade

Icing
200g (7 oz) icing sugar, sifted
Juice of 1 orange
Orange edible food colouring (optional)
A few sprinkles (optional)

Method

Grease and line with baking parchment a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add a little of the egg at a time until all incorporated and beaten well in at each addition. Beat in the orange zest then add the orange juice and marmalade and stir through thoroughly. Fold in the sifted flour gently folding through to combine thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the surface off with a spatula. Place into the preheated oven to bake for 40 – 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Lave to cool for 5 – 10 minutes in the tin before removing to completely cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing; add the sifted icing sugar a little edible orange food colour (optional), and enough orange juice to make a spreadable icing for coating the top of the cake. Spread over the top of the cake and add sprinkles if using.

Lastly enjoy!

Chilli Jam For A chilly Day!

Close up of the Chilli Jam showing those vibrantly red flecks of chilli and red pepper

Now that the chaotic period of festive gatherings has fluttered away into the backdrop for yet another year, and things today have just gone back to normality, I can now knuckle down to things I personally enjoy especially my baking and blogging – wonderful!! Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy my festive gatherings but too much of a good thing as they say..........

Chilli Jam

I didn’t want to let slip by some Chilli Jam sourced from Nigella’s Christmas cookbook, I made this Christmas. It tastes just as good as it looks, not too hot and packs a little punch that tingles on the tongue. . It’s rather chilly here today and a spoon or two of this chilli jam served with cheese and cold meats is sure thing to add a warm glow to anyone’s cheeks. This recipe is a winner through and through. It will be making more appearances in my household and not just at Christmas. I also made a batch of Nigella’s Cranberry & Apple Chutney from the same book, which is also excellent in taste and texture.

Chilli Jam & Cranberry & Apple Chutney

Chilli Jam

Makes Approx – 1.5 litres

Ingredients

150g (5oz) long fresh red chillies deseeded and cut into four pieces each.

150g (5oz) sweet red peppers cored deseeded and cut into chunks

1kg (2.2lbs) Jam sugar (with added pectin)

600mls cider vinegar

You will also need - 6x250 ml sterilized sealable jars with vinegar proof lids – Kilner jars or re-usable pickle jars are terrific for this.

Method

Put the cut up chillies into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chunks of sweet pepper and pulse again until you have a vibrantly red-flecked processor bowl.

Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a wide, medium-sized pan over a low heat without stirring.

Scrape the pepper mixture out of the bowl and add to the pan. Bring to the boil and leave it at a rollicking boil for 10 minutes

Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. The liquid will become more syrupy, then from syrup to viscous and from viscous to jelly like as it cools.

After about 40 minutes, or once the red flecks are more or less evenly distributed in the jelly (as the liquid firms up, the bits of chilli and pepper start being suspended in it rather than floating in it), ladle it into your jars. If you want to stir it gently at this stage, it will do no harm. Then seal tightly.

*Make the jam up to one month before using or giving.*

*Store in a cool dark place for up to a year.*

*Once opened store in the fridge and use within a month.*

This recipe is sourced from Nigella Christmas cookbook.

‘C’ is for Christmas Fare 2008!

I’m not quite sure where this year has gone, it seems to have flown by! It’s time again for baking my Christmas fruit cake and making up a batch of mincemeat for Christmas 2008. I like to make my fruit cake and mincemeat in October each year, to mature and develop all those Christmassy flavours. Here are my recipes that I have pleasure in sharing with you and hopefully you may try them out too this festive season!

Christmas Fruit Cake’08

Feeding the cake with brandy!

My cake will be fed leading up to the last few weeks of December by adding 1 tsp of brandy each week. This ensures for a rich matured moist fruit cake before applying the marzipan and icing in late December.

Christmas Fruit Cake’08

You will need to start soaking all the dried fruits three days prior to baking this cake to enable the fruits to swell and absorb the brandy and orange juice.

Ingredients
175g (6 oz) raisins
350g (12 oz) glace cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered
500g (1 lb 2oz) currants
350g (12 oz) sultanas
150ml (¼ pint) brandy, plus extra for feeding
Finely grated zest of 1 orange and lemon
Juice of 1 orange
250g (9 oz) butter, softened
250g (9 oz) light muscovado sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
75g 93 oz) chopped mixed nuts
75g (2 oz) self-raising flour
175g (6 oz) plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp cocoa powder
A large container with lid for soaking the fruits

You will need a 20cm (8 in) springform tin, greased and lined with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper and the outside of the tin double layered with brown paper and tied in the middle with string.

Method

Three days prior to baking the cake, add all the dried fruits to the container and pour over the brandy and stir in the orange zest and juice and then the lemon zest. Cover with a lid and leave to soak for three days, stirring daily.

Line the 20cm (8 in) springform tin as directed above and preheat the oven 140°C/fan 120°C/275°F/gas mark 1.

In a very large bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together until fluffy and light. Add the eggs a little at a time until all incorporated then add the nuts and stir through. Add the flours, cocoa powder and spices and mix thoroughly until blended. Stir in the soaked fruit. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface, I like to leave a little dip in the middle of the mixture so the cake doesn’t dome in the middle when baked.

Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 4½ hrs or until the cake the cake feels firm to the touch in the middle and is a rich golden brown, or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Check the cake after 2 hrs baking and if the top is a lovely golden brown, cover with a circle of baking paper or foil to prevent the top from burning. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a skewer and feed with a tsp brandy. Wrap the cake completely up in a double layer of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil. Store in a cool place for up to three months, feeding with 1 tbsp brandy every week.

Decorate with marzipan and icing in the last few weeks before Christmas.

Boozy Mincemeat

Boozy Mincemeat

I have been making this mincemeat each year ever since it appeared in The GoodFood Magazine in 2002 (you can find the original recipe here). This is a great recipe that imparts all those Christmassy flavours without much effort to achieve a fantastic moist boozy mincemeat for mince pies or last minute chocolate Christmas cake etc. I have altered the recipe slightly by using luxury mixed vine fruits and peel, glace cherries and vegetable suet. This recipe will keep from one year to the next but as Ruth Watson states; it is best used within six months.

Here is my adapted recipe for Boozy Mincemeat

Makes approximately 3.5kg (7lb)

Ingredients
3 x 500g (1lb 2oz) luxury vine fruits with added peel
200g (7 oz) glace cherries, washed and chopped
500g (1lb 2oz) Bramley apples or apple of choice, peeled, cored and grated
100g (4 oz) whole blanched almonds, chopped
350g (12 oz) Demerara sugar or soft brown sugar
100g (4 oz) dark muscovado sugar
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
2 rounded tsp ground mixed spice
1 large lemon, zest and juiced
125ml dark rum
125ml Disaronno amaretto liqueur
175ml French brandy

Method

In a very large bowl (I used my preserving pan), place in the vine fruits and peel, glace cherries, grated apple, suet, chopped almonds, sugars, spices, lemon zest and juice, and then lastly add all the alcohol. Mix thoroughly through together either with a large spoon or clean hands. Cover over with a clean tea towel and leave to stand for 24 hours giving the mixture a good stir as you pass by.

Next day pack the mincemeat into sterilised jars, (I used Kilner jars) and top with greaseproof paper jam covers. Seal the jars tightly and store in a cool place. This recipe will keep from one year to the next but as Ruth Watson states; it is best used within six months.

Lemon & Lime Marmalade Cake

Today I thought I would bake a cake using some of my lemon & Lime Marmalade I made the other day. Now I wanted to give myself a little challenge in using self-raising wholemeal flour in this bake. What did I think of the outcome I hear you ask in using different flour? The texture I thought was more of a crumbly one but it gave good flavour to the cake. Just think of lemons and how your mouth waters well adding citrus marmalade into the cake and icing gives that sweet and sour edge. I thought this would give me a chance to show you how I have incorporated some of my preserve in a bake. I wouldn’t call this a fancy cake but then the proof is in the taste. Personally I think this would make a great dessert cake without the icing and served with lashings of custard.

Lemon & Lime Marmalade Cake
175g (6 oz) softened butter
50g (2 oz) soft light brown sugar
5 tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs
150g (5 oz) lemon & lime marmalade
275g (10 oz) self-raising whole meal flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lime juice
For The Icing
225g (8 oz) icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lime juice
You will need 20cm (8 in) springform cake tin greased and lined with greaseproof paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the golden syrup and beat through until combined. Beat in one egg at a time until all incorporated then beat in the marmalade. Sieve the flour baking powder and ground ginger together and fold gently into the mixture in the bowl. Add both lemon and lime juice and fold through gently until all combined and of a good dropping consistency. Place into the cake tin and smooth the top over with a spatula. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 1- 1¼ hour(s) or until the top feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Make the icing by sieving the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add both lemon and lime juice. Mix to a smooth mixture remembering you want the icing to dribble down the sides a little, so add a little more citrus juice if the icing is to stiff.

Place the cake onto a serving plate and spoon the icing on top of the cooled cake letting some of the icing dribble down the sides.

Pixie at You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto has posted a lovely Clementine Curd and her thoughts of being new to preserving. Pixie and I hope to post different preserves and recipes up to the end of the closing date for ‘Putting Up” I wonder who will be the lucky winner in the raffle at the end for a gorgeous preserve book. You can find out more about the event on one of my earlier posts [link here].

Lemon & Lime Marmalade

Lemon & Lime Marmalade

Back view of jar showing the zest suspending in the preserve

I couldn't wait to get out my jam jars, preserving equipment for this wonderful ‘Putting Up’ Event. I had some lemon and limes, which I thought would make an excellent combination for marmalade. I have a fondness for using preserves in my baking but nothing beats a warm toasted slice of bread with lashings of marmalade in my opinion! This marmalade isn’t as sweet as some and gives a wonderful sharp edge to it and both citrus flavours shine through remarkably to give a clean taste to your palette. Note you need to start this recipe the night before.

I will try and guide you through the stages of this preserve to the best of my knowledge that I have learnt from making my own preserves. Of course I don’t proclaim to know everything and remain to learn all the time, so please feel free to leave any feedback. I am always willing to learn new procedures or valuable tips!

The setting point is one that can be hard to grasp at first, as I found to my cost when I first started making preserves. I have tried to explain to the best of my ability what to look for in a setting point.

I managed to yield three 450g (1lb) jars and ¾ filled a fourth 450g (1lb) jar from this recipe.

Lemon & Lime Marmalade
225g (8 oz) lemons
225g (8 oz) limes
15 litters (2½ pints) cold water
1.125kg (2½ lb) caster sugar
You will also need 4 x 450g (1lb) jam jars with lids or covers

Method

Wash your preserving pan or heavy based large pan in hot soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel.

Taking the lemons and limes, wash in hot water to remove any wax if they are not organic and to ensure the skins are fully clean. Dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel. Cut the fruit in half squeezing out all the juice and placing in a jug covered over in the fridge for the next day. Any pips and pulp scoop out and place into a muslin in the middle, tie tightly with string around the top to encase all the pips and pulp leaving a little extra string to tie to the handle if possible onto the preserving pan. Place the muslin bag of pips and pulp into the preserving pan with the water. Slice the zest and pith into thin strips and place this in the preserving pan. Cover over with foil or a lid and leave to soak overnight.

Showing preserving equipment I use minus jam jars, lids and labels

Next day, wash all the jam jars and equipment in hot soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel. Heat the oven on a low heat and place the jars on a baking tray and place in the oven to sterilise. Sterilise all lids or if using a kilnar jar the rubber seal in boiling water in a bowl or pan, do not place these in the oven.

Place two side plates in the freezer for the setting point if not using a sugar thermometer.

You can at this stage also warm the sugar through in the low oven on a large baking tray; this will help dissolve the sugar quicker when added to the preserving pan.

Place the preserving pan on a low heat on the stove and let it simmer until the zest is soft enough. You will need to keep the pan covered either by a lid or foil to ensure that you don’t lose fluid, (it can take an hour or more for the zest to soften). You can test to see if the zest is soft enough by carefully taking a strip out and squeezing through your finger and thumb, it should give easily and break into two. Remove the muslin bag of pips and pulp and squeeze out any fluids, being careful as this will be hot then discard the muslin bag and contents.

The zest soft after a simmer

If using a sugar thermometer clip this onto the side of your pan making sure the base is in the liquid. Now add all the sugar and lemon and lime juice in the jug, keeping the heat low and stirring with a large handled wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved. You can test this also by looking at the back of a wooden spoon to see if there are any signs of sugar crystals clinging to it. The sugar MUST BE fully dissolved before going on to the next stage.

A rolling rapid boil

Increase the heat and bring to a rolling rapid boil and boil until setting point is reached, making sure you remain to keep stirring to prevent the contents burning. This will be very hot at this stage so this is why I recommend a long handle wooden spoon to help prevent any splashes onto the skin. Setting point can be reached at any point from 5 – 20 minutes or even longer in some cases. Signs to look for in a set point would be, the fruit will not rise as vigorously and it makes less noise when bubbling and large bubbles appear on the surface. Always remove the preserving pan off the heat when testing for setting point. The sugar thermometer will read on the jam setting when ready or take a plate out of the freezer and place a teaspoon of the preserve on it. Leave this to cool and with your finger push through the middle, you will notice a wrinkle to the skin of the preserve and clearly a line through the centre where your finger has been. If the set is not reached place back on the heat and boil rapidly once again for 5 minutes, take off the heat and try again as above to see if setting point is reached.

Testing for setting point with a sugar thermometer

Testing for setting point with a plate

You can also judge before taking off the heat to test for a set by coating the back of a wooden spoon, and you will notice drops of jelly forming on the bottom of the spoon.

Showing jelly droplets on the back of a wooden spoon

When the correct set is achieved leave the preserve to cool a little giving a stir from time to time. You will notice the zest starting to suspend in the jelly of the preserve. If you pot up to early the zest will not suspend equally throughout the preserve.

It’s now time for potting up the preserve. Bring out the warm jars from the oven and place on a heat proof surface. Using a ladle or large spoon and jam funnel if you have one, fill the jars up to the brim, trying not to leave any gaps between the lid and the jar. This helps elevate any bacteria forming between the lid and jar in storage. With a clean cloth wipe off any stickiness around the outside lip of the jar and seal down with the lids.

Potting up my preserves

Leave the preserve to cool then wipe the outside of each jar to remove any spilt preserve and dry with a clean cloth. Place on the labels and it’s helpful to include the date the preserve was made. You can jazz your jars up with circles of cut fabric or thick wrapping paper tied with a thin ribbon. These make great gifts for family and or friends.

Rosie’s Cranberry Sauce

Vibrant Christmassy Red Cranberries in the saucepan

Rosie's Cranberry Sauce Texture

Rosie’s Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is much better than shop brought and can be made in a flash. It can be made on the day of eating or get ahead and store in an airtight jar or even freeze it. In my cranberry sauce I like to add orange, port and a touch of cinnamon to complement the cranberries and sugar. This sauce has a slight tangy edge to the flavour and not overtly sweet, which I think is the right combination when served with turkey.

Rosie’s Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients
300g (11 oz) cranberries
150g (5 oz) caster sugar
Finley grated zest from 1 orange
Juice from 2 oranges
½ cinnamon stick
7 tbsp Port

Method

In a large non-reactive saucepan add the cranberries, sugar, zest, orange juice, port and cinnamon. Place the saucepan on the heat stirring until it comes up to a boil. Keep stirring and simmer until the cranberries burst and soften it will take about 5 –7 minutes.

Spoon into a sterilised jar and place a lid on, then when the jar has cooled place a label on.

You may wish to store the cranberry sauce in a container and freeze it, but remember to thaw completely before serving.

Note. Make sure you take out the cinnamon stick before serving! Once the jar is opened store in the fridge.

Cranberry Bakewell Tart

Cranberry Bakewell Tart

Showing a slice of the Cranberry Bakewell Tart

As you may recall from one of my pervious posts I had been busy making Cranberry & Port Preserve. I had promised myself this year that I would bake from Nigella Lawson’s "Feast cookbook" - the Cranberry Bakewell Tart. Link for the recipe on line. [Link Here].

The pastry to this tart has a good crisp texture with the flavour of almond flowing through, followed by a layer of cranberry jam or in my case Cranberry & Port Preserve, last but not least a wonderful clementine infused iced topping. If you haven’t any gold sugar stars to decorate the top, you could cut out little stars in marzipan for decoration making the almond theme extended. This tart makes a gorgeous festive dessert and one that would look perfect served at this time of year!

Clementines in Cointreau Liqueur

This would make a fabulous homemade gift to give a loved one or friend for Christmas, if you can manage to part with it yourself that is! The only downside, it has to keep for 3 months before opening but I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem with this decedent delight. Very simple to make and can be made in about 15 to 20 minutes.

You could jazz the jar up with a fabric lid and pretty bow. Also you could include the recipe to enable the recreation of this preserve, which would be a lovely finishing touch don’t you think?

This preserve of clemintines would be wonderful served on top of meringues with whipped cream or crème fraiche and drizzles of the spicy orange liqueur running down the sides, sheer pleasure on a spoon!

Clementines in Cointreau Liqueur

Makes 1 large kilner jar (as in photo)

Ingredients
7 clementines, peeled and any pith removed
1 clementine peel, cut into fine strips
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 3
100g (4 oz) caster sugar
4 tbsp water
Approximately 570ml (1 pint) Cointreau – orange liqueur

Method

Wash in hot soapy water rise and fully dry a kilner jar. Remove the rubber seal and place the jar in a warm preheated oven to sterilize for about 10 minutes, or in a dishwasher.

Take the jar out of the oven or dishwasher then place the peeled clementines into the jar, add the sliced peel, cloves and cinnamon.

In a saucepan add the sugar and water on a gentle heat on the stove, until the sugar dissolves then let this simmer for 1 –2 minutes until it becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat and add the Cointreau liqueur, pour over the clemintines making sure the liquid comes to top of the jar, (depending on your jar size this why it’s approximately on the quantity for Cointreau).

Seal the lid down and wipe the jar over on the outside with a clean cloth removing any stickiness. Write a label and place on the front of the jar. Store for 3 months in a cool dark place before opening and using.

Cranberry & Port Preserve

Cranberries are abundant at this time of year and this preserve would be lovely served in savoury or sweet dishes because it still has that little tang on the taste buds. The port isn’t very visible in taste in this preserve, but adds a little extra touch of splendour for the festive season. This would be lovely as a gift, so why not jazz the jar up a little with a fabric lid or thick Christmas paper and tie with a bow around the lid.

This is the consistency of the preserve - what a wonderful deep red colour from the cranberries.

Cranberry & Port Preserve

Makes 800g (1lb 12oz)

Ingredients
800g (1lb 12oz) fresh cranberries
800g (1lb 12oz) caster sugar
50ml (2 fl oz) Port
Water * see method*
Jam jars – (I used a kilner jar and a small jam jar)
Labels

Method

You will need a preserving pan or a thick-bottomed large pan. Jars & lids, washed and dried, then place the jars onto a baking tray and place into a warm oven to sterilise whilst you make the preserve.

In a preserving pan add all the cranberries, sugar, port and enough water just to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the pan onto a medium heat stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring up to the boil and keep stirring, (you don’t want the preserve to burn) for approximately 10 minutes or until it has reached setting point. This preserve doesn’t take long to make, due to the pectin in the cranberries being very high.

To test for setting point, place a small plate into the freezer before starting to make the preserve. When you think setting point is reached or it looks a thick consistency, take a teaspoon of the cranberry & port preserve and place onto the very cold plate. Allow about 5 minutes for the preserve to cool and remove the pan off the heat, then with your finger push through the middle of the preserve. It will wrinkle and leave a line down the middle when at setting point. If you haven’t reached setting point, place the pan back onto the heat for a few minutes longer to boil then repeat as before for setting point.

Pot up the preserve into the warm sterilised jars and seal with the lids immediately. When the preserve has cooled place a label on the front and jazz up the jar a little if it’s for a gift.

Quince & Apple Jelly Preserve

In July this year I posted about my little quince shrub , wondering how much crop it would yield this year? It produced approx 450g (1 lb) of beautiful fragrant fruit, now I pondered on how to make the most of them! I had mused on possibilities of baking an apple pie and adding slices of quince, but I wanted to savour the flavours of these beautiful fruits a little longer. Perseveres rang a bell here having enjoyed my friend Maureen’s Apple Jelly so much, I thought I’d try her recipe with added quince.

Oh my, taste of this jelly is soooo good not to mention its gorgeous colour! It’s sweet with a little tartness and a slight background hint of rose. The preserve is very easy to make, leaving the jelly bag and its contents to drip overnight before going onto the final stage of making the jelly. Mmmmmm cooks treat of toast and jelly for breakfast tomorrow :)

Quince & Apple Jelly Recipe

Ingredients
450g (1 lb) Quinces
450g (1 lb) Cooking apples
600ml (1 pint) Cold water
450g (1 lb) White sugar per 600ml (1 pint) juice
Juice of 2 lemons

Method

Chop the quinces and apples, skin, seeds and all and place in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the cold water to cover and bring to a simmer (cover the pan with a lid as you don’t want to loose to much liquid). Simmer until it is pulpy. Strain in a jelly bag (never squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy) Leave it to drip.

Measure the juice and return to a large clean saucepan and add the lemon juice. Heat the juice, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, and boil rapidly. You will see the rather cloudy juice change to a gorgeous colour. Carry on boiling until setting point is reached - 105°C skim if necessary and ladle into hot dry sterilised bottles. Seal immediately. Store in a cool dark place, once opened it must be stored in the fridge.

Quantity: 450g (1 lb) sugar should make 750g 1 2/3 lb Jelly900g (2 lb) sugar should make 1.5kg (3 1/3 lb) Jelly

Preserved Apricots in Brandy

I find preserving food for later on in the year quite a comfort like you will gather from my previous posts (!) Even though in the U.K. it’s been rather a wash out of a summer, I thought it’s still perfect to bring out a jar of preserve during those long days of winter.

I came by making this preserve after buying an excellent punnet of apricots at a local shop. They were destined for something more than a pie or a crumble I thought.

A search on the old ‘tinternet’ came up with a recipe. It ticked all boxes for ingredients I already had in. It seemed a quick reliable recipe from Waitrose.com I halved the recipe and it filled a small kilner jar. I can visualise my chewy meringues with whipped cream and the ultimate touch of preserved apricots and drizzles of brandy syrup oozing down the sides. This is what I call sheer bliss…

The link for the recipe is here and you will also gather it is quick for anyone where time factors come into consideration too.

Preserved Lemons

Preserved Lemons are something I’ve been meaning to try out for sometime now. I can't think of a better way than by having a bash at preserving a jar myself? I understand they have a unique taste of saltiness without them being bitter coinciding with a silky-smooth texture which cannot be replaced with fresh lemons. The only downside of making my own is the waiting game for them to come to maturity.

In Morocco I understand these lemons are used in their Tagines - slowly cooked meat dishes, mainly lamb dishes. I would like to try when my lemons mature a Tagine of chicken, even though this may not be fully authentic it would suit my family’s tastes better. I don’t have one of those elaborate Tagine dishes with funnels so I will be cooking my dishes in a normal casserole pot.

This is how I made my Preserved Lemons.

Ingredients
10 small ripe lemons, thin skinned if possible
Coarse sea salt (I use Maldon Sea salt)
Lemon juice, juice of 1 lemon for each preserving jar
Boiling water to top up the brine

I used available organic lemons for my preserves, not being able to obtain Moroccan lemons. I scrubbed each lemon to remove any impurities and soaked them in water for five days, changing the water each day before the next stage of salting and making the brine.

I like to use large Kilner jars that look very attractive with glinting lemons peeking through the glass. Of course smaller jars could be used and some given as homemade gifts to family and friends.

To prepare the lemons for salting – cut from tip of each lemon with a shape knife, I cut into quarters just leaving 1cm (½ in) intact at the bottom of each lemon. Open up each lemon and pack with coarse salt. I then packed about ten salted lemons into the large Kilner jar, no science needed here, just a good old shove down to pack them in. Add the juice of 1 lemon to each jar and enough boiling water to bring the brine to the top of each jar. Cover and seal down.

The lemons need to mature for at least five weeks in their brine before even considering using them. After opening I would suggest that they be stored in the fridge and only use clean spoons to take each lemon out, as any fat on a spoon would spoil the pickling mixture. It’s always wise to rinse the preserved lemon before use in cooking.

A Glut of Homegrown Tomatoes

This year I decided to grow tomatoes in my greenhouse, fresh from the vine - yum. As they say it’s like waiting for a bus to come along, you wait and wait nothing, and then all of a sudden a row of buses turn up all at once. Well my tomatoes have been like those buses, all green and not ripening until hey presto this week I hit jackpot. Today I pulled 900g (2lb) of juicy red toms from my plants.

Putting my thinking cap, I thought I’d make gorgeous Tomato chutney today. I find it relaxing pottering about making preserves, something extra to eat for sheer treats on those blustery Autumn/Winter days. It’s like a ray of sunshine once again as you open up a delightful jar of preserve be it, Strawberry Jam to have with fresh baked scones for instance or chutney served with a good ploughman’s roll.

* Come a little closer whilst I whisper to you *, it’s so easy to make and only takes about 1 hour. So when you bring out a jar of ‘homemade chutney’ for your guests they will think you are a ‘domestic goddess’… lol. Please do have a go, you don’t need a preserving pan especially for the job (nice if you have one though), use a non-reactive heavy based large pan. I save jars all the time for different preserves now; it cuts down on costs of equipment and my little way of recycling.

I don’t see any reason why not to use different sugars, soft brown for instance, playing around with spices you would prefer perhaps? After all that is what cooking is all about making something to suit your taste buds. I would recommend leaving the chutney for at least a month to develop its flavours. Store in a dry, cool, dark place.

Here’s my recipe for Tomato Chutney if you would like to try it out.

Tomato Chutney

This recipe fills one large kilner jar and one 1lb jar. If using normal metal lids with glass jars, it’s advisable to place some cardboard inside the lid to stop the vinegar rusting the metal.

Ingredients

Stage 1
900g (2lb) ripe tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
450g (1lb) onions, finely chopped
450g (1lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and grated
450ml (3/4 pint) white wine vinegar

Stage 2
350g (12 oz) sugar, (I used white)
300g (10 oz) sultanas
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger
A good pinch or two of Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Method

Take a tomato and at the base, make a cross just into the skin, carry this on with all the remaining tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and leave for about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon carefully remove the tomatoes and peel off all the skins and chop them up, then place them in a preserving pan. Add the finely chopped onions and grated apple to the tomatoes.

Stage 1 ingredients: Simmer the above ingredients over a low heat until they become tender. This can take awhile depending on how slowly you simmer the ingredients.

At this stage, wash and rinse your jars and lids and dry them. Place the glass jars in the oven at 150°C on a metal tray to sterilise. Boil in a saucepan, either your metal lids or rubber rings for kilner jars to sterilise. * Note above on metal lids*

Stage 2 ingredients: Add the sugar to the pan and stir until all the sugar is dissolved, then add the sultanas, ground ginger, mixed spice and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil stirring so the chutney doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan. Keep boiling away until the mixture becomes a thick consistency like say jam.

Pot up into the warmed sterilised jars and seal. I would leave the chutney for at least 1 month before opening to let the flavours develop. Store in a dark cool place.

Apple Jelly

I really enjoy nothing more than pottering around in my kitchen and finding new projects to bake, preserve or cook. So what could I make on a very cold rainy day I ask?

A close friend of mine kindly gave me a recipe for Apple Jelly and it’s SO good and such an easy recipe, I just have to share this with you. I know the word ‘Jelly Bag’ comes into equation here but please don’t let this put you off by any means. You can always buy a cheap ‘Jelly bag’ or make one and simply hang it to drip from the legs of an upturned stool or chair with a bowl placed underneath to catch all those precious juices, (I started my preserve the day before to let all those juices drip through overnight, as you can view from the picture on the left.)

Although I was pleased with the outcome of this preserve, I felt I’d left to many air bubbles in the jelly when potting up - eek. Next time I will remember to tap the jars to help overcome this problem. I do hope you’ll try this recipe out and please leave feedback to how it went.

Thanks to my friend Maureen for kindly sharing this recipe with me.

Apple Jelly

Sweet and tart, with a gorgeous coral colour, this jelly is easy to make.

This jelly is great with pork instead of applesauce. It can be used wherever you would use redcurrant jelly. Once opened it must be stored in the fridge.

Ingredients

900g (2 lb) cooking apples or Granny Smith apples

600ml (1 pint) Cold water

450g (1 lb) white sugar per 600ml (1 pint) juice

Juice of 2 lemons

Chop the apples, skin, seeds and all and place in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the cold water to cover and bring to a simmer (cover the pan with a lid as you don’t want to loose to much liquid). Simmer until it is pulpy. Strain in a jelly bag (never squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy) I leave it to drip overnight.

Measure the juice and return to a large clean saucepan and add the lemon juice. Heat the juice, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, (I sometimes cheat and use sugar with added pectin) and boil rapidly. You will see the rather cloudy juice change and go the most beautiful coral colour. Carry on boiling until setting point is reached - 105 degrees centigrade - skim if necessary and ladle into hot dry sterilised bottles. Seal immediately. You will hear the "buttons" on the lids pop in as the jelly cools. Store in a cool dark place.

Note: You can boil the pulp a second time but only add half the quantity of water. Put back into the jelly bag to drip away and collect with the rest of the apple juice. Pectin in apples is high which allows for a second boiling of the pulp.

Quantity: 450g (1 lb) sugar should make 750g 1 2/3 lb Jelly
900g (2 lb) sugar should make 1.5kg (3 1/3 lb) Jelly