Description
A rich and flavorful dark muscovado and whisky marmalade made with Seville oranges, lemons, and a blend of granulated and muscovado sugars, simmered gently and finished with whisky for a warm, boozy depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 1.3kg Seville oranges
- 2 lemons, juice only
Sugars and Alcohol
- 2¼kg granulated or preserving sugar
- 450g dark muscovado sugar
- 150ml whisky
Instructions
- Prepare and simmer the fruit: Place whole oranges and lemon juice in a large preserving pan, cover with 2 liters (4 pints) of water, ensuring fruit is submerged by weighing down with a heat-proof plate if necessary. Bring to a boil, cover, and gently simmer for about 2 hours until the peel is easily pierced with a fork.
- Warm the sugars: Preheat half of the granulated sugar and all of the dark muscovado sugar in a very low oven to warm them slightly.
- Separate cooking liquid and fruit: Pour the cooking water from the oranges into a jug and transfer the oranges into a bowl. Return the cooking liquid to the pan and allow the oranges to cool until they can be handled easily.
- Prepare pectin-rich liquid: Cut the cooled oranges in half and scoop out all the pips and pith. Add these back into the cooking liquid in the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 6 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing the pulp with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid and pectin as possible.
- Cook the marmalade batch 1: Pour half the strained liquid back into the preserving pan. Cut half of the peel into chunky shreds and add it to the pan along with half the warmed granulated sugar and all of the muscovado sugar. Stir gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a rapid boil and cook for 15-25 minutes until the setting point is reached.
- Add whisky and finish first batch: Stir in half the whisky. Remove from heat, skim off any scum from the surface (adding a small knob of butter to dissolve scum if needed), then let the marmalade stand for 20 minutes to cool slightly and allow peel to settle. Pot into sterilised jars, seal, and label.
- Repeat for second batch: Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining liquid, peel, sugar, and whisky for the second batch of marmalade.
Notes
- To make a different flavor, replace whisky with Grand Marnier, Drambuie, or Cointreau.
- For a darker marmalade, substitute muscovado sugar with 2.6kg granulated sugar and add 2 tbsp black treacle (1 tbsp per batch) to the sugar.
- Use a heat-proof plate to keep fruit submerged during simmering for even cooking.
- Skimming scum and adding butter helps achieve a clearer marmalade.
- Sterilize jars properly before potting to ensure preservation.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Preserves/Marmalade
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: dark muscovado marmalade, whisky marmalade, Seville orange marmalade, homemade marmalade, preserve recipe
