Blood Orange Marmalade
November 02, 2011
Delicious Blood Orange Marmalade made from scratch recipe.
When you read a book ... do you have that feeling... that you ARE in that book? Living, breathing, eating with the characters? I do...I meant 'story' books/ novels, not text book... the later makes me go to sleep...
Remember Enid Blyton's Famous Five, Secret Seven, Mallory Towers, Naughtiest Girl in School, Magical Faraway trees, Enchanted Woods and many more...? I used to live, breathe with these characters... pretending I was the 6th member of the Famous Five, bestie with Elizabeth Allen, joined in the fun and be one of many Enid Blyton's characters...
I went on adventures, go to bed when they do.. and when the sun rises...I was there waiting at their breakfast table... and many a times... they would have toast and Marmalade....
I went on adventures, go to bed when they do.. and when the sun rises...I was there waiting at their breakfast table... and many a times... they would have toast and Marmalade....
I liked the sounds of the word 'Marmalade'... didn't have the slightest clue what Marmalade was at that time... let alone the taste!!! Dictionary didn't help much either... I so desperately wanted to have a taste... I could find bottles of jam in the supermarket but not marmalade... (Alor Setar was a small sleepy town... nothing much happening...)
Not until years later... when I stepped foot into Sainsbury's in Derby... to my delight, I found bottles and bottles of Marmalade on Sainsbury's shelf... if only you could see my expression back then... just like I stumbled upon a pot of gold or won a mega sweep lottery!!
Phew...I could finally taste MARMALADE...
I loved it since... Elizabeth Allen, I could tell you what marmalade and toast tasted like... and we could be hyper and 'wreck havoc' in class after high dosage of sugar together ....
I loved it since... Elizabeth Allen, I could tell you what marmalade and toast tasted like... and we could be hyper and 'wreck havoc' in class after high dosage of sugar together ....
After umpteenth years of gorging myself silly and nearly drown in one.... I decided to treat myself to homemade marmalade... My first attempt ~ making Blood Orange Marmalade...
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| Dont you just love the vibrant colours of these gorgeous Blood Orange? |
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Oh!!! by the way ...
this is exactly how I imagined them (Enid Blyton's characters...) on their 'Beach' holiday in the South of England..... the photo above was taken on a gorgeous sunny day at Trigg Beach, Perth.
Blood Orange Marmalade Recipe (adapted with changes from Homemade Preserves)
500g blood oranges1 medium lemon1 liter water300g sugar
- Wash, scrub the wax off and dry the fruits.
- Halve the fruits and squeeze out the juice with the pips into a muslin cloth lined over a strainer (with bowl underneath the strainer)
- Remove pith from the peel.
- Reserve the pith.
- Cut the peel into thin strips.
- Add the reserve pith to the pips into a muslin bag to make a loose bag.
- Place the bag in a large pot with shredded peel, juice, and water.
- Measure the depth.
- Slowly bring the mixture to boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until the peel is very soft and the water reduced by half in depth.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the bag.
- Put it aside and leave it to cool enough to be able to handle the bag.
- Squeeze as much liquid as possible into the pan.
- Add sugar and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a boil for 10 minutes until the setting point has reached 105C on sugar thermometer.
- Remove any scum.
- Leave to cool until skin starts to form on the surface of the preserve.
- Stir to distribute the peel evenly.
- Ladle into a sterilised jar, cover and seal.
I grew up on Enid Blyton books too!! They were the first book series I really started with as a kid and got me to enjoy reading after that. Thanks for bringing me back to the good old days! Btw, I know what you mean about being so curious about the taste of Marmalade as a kid. Though I can't believe I've never had them with Blood Orange because I imagine the taste would be so much more interesting and the colour more vibrant too! Nice one, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteI used to read Enid Blyton's books during my childhood times! I had a good number of his books collection. And don't forget the Nancy Drew too! Thanks for this Blood Orange marmalade. I loves marmalade. Wait till I get hold of Blood Orange first!
ReplyDeleteEnid Blyton was my favorite. I think I read all the EB books at my school library. Haven't attempted marmalade before but since Nigella is using it a lot as a marinade in her cooking, I'm now tempted to preserve a jar. No blood oranges here though, and yes, I is jealous.
ReplyDeleteGosh..look at that perfect marmalade! You just have me at blood orange!
ReplyDeleteYour marmalade is gorgeous! I have made orange marmalade but never blood orange, it usually gets eaten long before I attempt to make it. You know, as kids if anyone would have seen us (you, me and other people who are going to reply to this post) they would guess that we are all going to grow up to be hardcore foodies and possibly author food blogs .. because only a budding foodie would remember to this day the famous five's lemonade and cakes on the beach, Elizabeth's marmalade and toast and the Faraway Tree gang's pop cakes and treacle tarts, lol. Lovely post!
ReplyDeleteLook at the marmalade. They look beautiful :).
ReplyDeleteI haven't read those books. Ah. Hoping to check out some days.
I'm a big fan of marmalade! I've never tried making it myself though! Yours looks absolutely perfect and has surely left me inspired to try making my own. Lovely clicks too!
ReplyDeleteA divine looking and sounding marmalade! Perfect on crumpets and accompanied by a cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteI also grew up reading Enyd Blyton books and loved them.
Cheers,
Rosa
Good old Enid blyton books:)...no pokemon or petshops in my/our days. Love marmalade on hot buttery toast and a hot cup of tea...Mmmm
ReplyDeleteThats awesome.
ReplyDeleteIt would be perfect for breakfast. Thanks
Winston
ReplyDeleteHurray for EB... her books are excellent... my kids enjoyed reading them too
Mel
Oh yes.. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys too. I loved watching the series Hardy Boys and had a serious crush on Parker Stevenson ;P
Pickyin
My school library was 'char'... not many EB books :(
I just read in DH (if I am not mistaken), she uses marmalade to make her duck L'orange :D
Angie
awww... sweet :D
Sneh
LOL... I announced to everyone "Not to even glance or touch my blood oranges" :P
Anh
Thanks Anh
Enid Blyton's books... a great read :D
Rosa
Yay... :D
lina
Yep... no pokemon. Only Ultraman, Giant Robot, Invaders etc
Priyanka
Thank you :D
Lisa, your marmalade looks good. yum yum
ReplyDeleteThose were the day reading Enid Blyton's books. I remember I has a box full of collection pass to my daughter but she not keen to read. Anyway after that given away to friends.
Have a nice day.
Baker street
ReplyDeletethanks Anu... :D
The ingredients are very short and very tempting. I love marmalade and once I start eating it makes me very addicting (otherwise I like blueberries all the time). The hint of citrus is what keeps me addicting. About how many blood oranges do you need for 500g? They are very expensive here, so I'm just wondering...
ReplyDeleteMana you dapat blood orange tu. Would love to buy some. I love marmalade, especially if it's not too sweet with a slight bitterness. Yum2
ReplyDeleteSebelum terlupa, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha...
Amelia
ReplyDeleteWe came from the dinosaur era...that's why we spent time reading and spent more time outdoor, whilst the kids nowadays would rather spend time in front of their computer :P
Nami
Oh yes... I love blueberries too but it is expensive overhere.... as for the oranges.. it depends on the size really :D
Flower
Hey... lama tak menjenguk I? All good?
I beli from Wanneroo market... they dont have it often (pagi ni I pergi cari... dah tak jumpa)
Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha to you too :D
Ah yes marmelade... I do have to confess that the first time I had marmelade I thought it was bitter and disgusting. I must have been about 10 yrs at the time and all I had on my toast would have to be supersweet... Not bittersweet. I love it now, but it took me some getting used to!
ReplyDeleteYour blood orange marmalade looks fabulous!!!! I absolutely adore blood oranges, but have never seen blood orange marmalade. Yum!
ReplyDeleteAhh the Enid Blyton books take me back. I remember reading those when I was young too. I couldn't help but read your post with a smile :)
Simone
ReplyDeleteI was so excited to have found marmalade at last, I didn't even notice the bitter after taste... :D
Jennifer
thank you dear :D
I grew up with those stories as well..my favourite being The Enchanted Woods series...Silky's Pop Biscuits and Moonface's toffee :) Lucky you, so you've got your hands on the blood oranges already, I see.... perfect for marmalad...
ReplyDeleteShirley
ReplyDeleteThank you :D
gosh i remember so much of enid blyton that it's crazy - famous five and secret seven were one of my favorites hehe. and luckily i just got my hands on some blood oranges - marmalade here i come!!
ReplyDelete