is marmalade easy to make?

[crisgal]

i have loads of oranges but no special jam making equipment or anything. Is it complicated?

[coccinelle]

It isn't complicated at all; just need oranges, water and sugar. However, as you need to boil it up rapidly there's a risk of it boiling over; this is where a jam pan is worth having. I have made jams in a pressure cooker before but you can only fill it at the most half way up, if not it boils over. After a while setting point is reached, you can test this by putting a bit of the marmelade (without the bits) on a cold saucer and if a skin forms (it wrinkles) on the surface when you push it with your fingernail, it's ready to be put into clean, warm, dry jam jars. La voilà!

[Androcles]

Here's the dead easy way - use your microwave:

Ingredients:
5 - 6 seville oranges or 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 grapefruit and one lime, squeeze the juice then slice thinly and and pips removed and tied in a cloth (clean hanky will do)
1½ pints water
3 lbs castor sugar (but granulated will do)

Directions:
Microwave Method

1. Place fruit, juice & waterand bag of pips in large bowl. (get a bowl as close to the size of the microwave table as possible.Cover with microwaveable cling film and don't pierce it. Cook on HIGH for18 - 20 minutes mins or until rind is soft. Remove bag.
2. Add sugar. Heat on high and stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Bring to boil and cook on HIGH until setting point is reached, 35 – 45 mins. (depending on power on microwave) . It does froth up, hence the need for the big bowl, but it never burns and you only have one container to wash up.
4. Test by dropping a blob of liquid on a cold plate kept in the fridge. If wrinkles appear after 2-3minutes marmalade has reached setting point
5. Allow to cool slightly before putting in clean warm jars
Makes approx 4 - 5 lb.