Seville Orange Marmalade

1.4kg (3lb) Seville oranges

2 lemons

3.4 litres (6 pints) water

2.7kg (6lb) sugar

14 jam jars and covers

Wash the oranges and lemons, cut in halves and squeeze the juice out. Collect the pips and pulp into a muslin bag. Chop or mince the orange and lemon peels and put into a large pot with the water and juice. Tie up the muslin bag and put it into the pot. Leave overnight.

Have 14 very clean glass jars ready on a baking tray. Bring the pot to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours, until the peel is soft. It should feel like ‘bread and milk’ between your fingers. Do make sure the peel is soft, because once you add the sugar it won’t soften any more.

The liquid will have reduced by about half. Take out the muslin bag and squeeze it between two plates to get out all the pectin.

Add the sugar and stir until all of it has dissolved, then bring to the boil. Boil fast for about 15 minutes and test for the setting point. While the rest is cooling put the clean jam pots into the oven at gas mark 1/140C/285F to sterilise.

Stir in a knob of butter to disperse the froth. Take the pot off the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Use a small heatproof jug to fill the hot jam pots and cover the marmalade with waxed discs, smooth side down. Wipe jars and cover with damp cellophane held in place with rubber bands. Leave to cool. Store in a cool, dry larder.