Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe

This traditional Seville Orange Marmalade is a breakfast staple as well as being incredibly rewarding to make! Poaching the whole oranges makes the peel go soft and translucent, which along with the preserving sugar adds a crystal-clear, bitter-sweet tang to this preserve that is so perfect on hot buttered toast.

Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe Ingredients

• The Fruit:
  • 900g (2 lb) Seville oranges (bitter oranges)
  • 1 large lemon
• The Liquid:
  • 2.25 liters (4 pints) water
• The Sugar:
  • 1.8kg (4 lb) preserving sugar (or granulated sugar)

How To Make Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe

1. Poach the fruit: Place the whole Seville oranges and the whole lemon into a large preserving pan (or very large heavy-based saucepan). Pour over the 2.25 liters of water. If the fruit floats, weigh it down with a heatproof saucer.
2. Simmer: Bring to the boil, then cover the pan with a lid. Simmer very gently for about 2 hours, or until the fruit is completely soft and can be pierced easily with a fork.
3. Cool and separate: Remove the pan from the heat. Lift the fruit out with a slotted spoon and place into a large bowl to cool. Do not discard the water! Pour the cooking liquid into a measuring jug; you need exactly 1.7 liters (3 pints). If you have too much, boil it down; if too little, top up with water.
4. Extract the pectin: Once the fruit is cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Scoop out all the insides (pith and pips) and put them into a saucepan. Add 300ml (½ pint) of the reserved cooking liquid to the pips. Simmer this pip mixture for 10 minutes (this extracts the pectin). Strain this liquid through a sieve back into the main preserving pan. Discard the pips.
5. Slice the peel: Cut the empty orange and lemon skins into thin shreds (thick or thin, depending on your preference). Add the shredded peel to the preserving pan with the rest of the cooking liquid.
6. Dissolve the sugar: Add the sugar to the pan. Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until every grain of sugar has dissolved. You must not let it boil until the sugar is gone!
7. Rapid boil: Once dissolved, turn the heat up to high and bring to a rapid, rolling boil. Boil hard for about 15 minutes.
8. The Set Test: Test for a set (see tips). Once the setting point is reached, remove from the heat. Skim off any scum with a spoon (or stir in a knob of butter to disperse it). Let it settle for 15 minutes so the peel doesn’t float to the top of the jar.
9. Pot: Ladle into warm, sterilized jars. Seal immediately with waxed discs and lids.

Recipe Tips!

• The Wrinkle Test: To check if the marmalade is ready, put a teaspoon of the hot liquid on a chilled saucer from the freezer. Let it cool for a minute, then push it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles like skin, it has reached setting point!
• Pectin Power: The pips and pith contain the pectin needed to set the jelly. Boiling them separately and adding that liquid back in is the secret to a firm set without needing artificial pectin.
• Scum Skim: If there is a foamy scum on the surface after boiling, don’t worry! Stir in a small knob of butter (about 10g) and stir gently; the scum will magically disperse and disappear.
• Seville Season: Seville oranges are only available for a short window in January/February. Buy them in bulk and freeze them whole! You can boil them straight from frozen when you are ready to make marmalade.

What To Serve With Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe?

This Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe is the gold standard for breakfast! A slice of thick-cut Sourdough Toast with salted butter is the only way to truly appreciate the bitter-sweet flavor. For a baking twist, use it to glaze a Ham or Gammon Joint for a sticky, citrusy crust! It is also incredible spooned over a Steamed Sponge Pudding for a comforting winter dessert.

How To Store Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe

• Store: Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark cupboard. Properly sterilized and sealed, they will keep for up to 1 year (often longer).
• Refrigerate: Once a jar is opened, keep it in the refrigerator and consume within 6 weeks.
• Freeze: Marmalade does not need freezing as the sugar preserves it.

Delia Smith Marmalade Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 50 kcal
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Protein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated per tablespoon.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Seville Orange Marmalade​ Recipe
• Delia Smith Orange Trifle Recipe
• Delia Smith Chicken Liver Pate​ Recipe