Winifred's Lime and Lemon Marmalade

Recently a friend showed me her mother's method for making marmalade. The secret to her mother's method is that the fruit is cooked in a pressure cooker, and includes a lemon and a lime. The result is a chunky, slightly tart marmalade, which is simply delicious spread on hot buttered toast. 

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds / 900g Seville oranges
1 lemon and 1 lime (unwaxed)
3 pounds / 1.3 kg granulated sugar
0.5 pounds / 200g jam sugar
2 pints water
Note: for a tarter marmalade, use 3 pounds / 1.3kg sugar. 

METHOD

1. Place the whole oranges and the lemon in a pressure cooker, covering with 1.5 pints water. Cook for about 20-25 mins at pressure. If you don't have a pressure cooker, slow cook them in a low oven for several hours until the skins are soft. 

2. Cook the lime separately, for about 30 mins or until the skin is soft. 

3. Remove all the fruit from the pans, and break open. Scoop out the pips and pulp from the fruit skins, and place the pips and pulp into a sieve over the jam kettle to capture the pectin and help the marmalade set. Press them through the sieve, using some of the liquid to help, then discard. 

4. Place the fruit skins on a chopping board and chop into 2-4cm pieces, depending upon how fine or chunky you like your marmalade. 

5. Meanwhile measure out the sugar into a bowl. Place in a cool oven for about 20 mins so that it warms up. 

6. Strain out 2 pints liquid, adding water to top it up if needed. Mix the liquid, chopped fruit, and warmed sugar.  Bring to a roiling boil for about 20 mins, or until a jam thermometer reads 221 F / 105 C. 

7. Remove the pan from the heat. Let stand for 20 mins. Meanwhile, place your sterilised jam pots and lids in a low oven so that they're less likely to crack when you add the hot fruit.