Rum and raisin marmalade
I know it’s a bit old ladyish, but I LOVE marmalade. I love the sweet and sour tang on my toast of a morning.
I’m down to my final jar of last year’s Christmas Marmalade, so I thought I’d make a new batch. I need some for gifts, some to donate to be sold at the school fair and some for meeeeee!
This is based on a WI recipe so I knew it’d be a winner. It’s really very simple to make, the only real faff is cutting up the fruit. I don’t have a food processor – just one of those mini choppers so it took me a fair bit of elbow grease to get the job done.
I used regular sugar, not jam or preserving sugar and achieved a brilliant set. I think the key was letting the fruit cook gently for over 2 hours. I also didn’t rush the final stage, once I’d added the sugar I boiled it until I was really happy that I’d reached setting point. I sometimes get a bit too keen at this point, but glad I backed off a bit.
Twas hugely worth all the effort though as it tastes DIVINE. The citrus zing from the fruit followed by a warm hit from the rum has totally bowled me over.
Marmalade packaged up for School Christmas Fair
Dressing up the jars
I didn’t have many of my pretty blue spotty lidded jars left, so I have been religiously saving empty pesto, honey and roasted pepper jars over the months. I scrubbed the labels off in hot soapy water and they were as good as new.
To give them a festive finish for gifting, I dressed them up by donning the lids with circles of brown paper, secured with rubber bands and tied with colourful ribbon. You could also use circles of Christmas wrapping paper or brightly coloured tissue paper tied with streamers or curling ribbons.
Boozy marmalade is such a great gift – I’m hoping my family and friends will love it!
Rum and raisin marmalade (based on WI recipe)
Makes about 4.5kg
675g sweet oranges, very thinly sliced
675g lemons, very thinly sliced
175g raisins
1.7 litres water
2.7kg granulated sugar
dark rum
1. Place the sliced fruit in a large preserving pan with the raisins and water. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer gently for at least 2 hours until the peels if very soft.
2. Meanwhile wash your jam jars in hot soapy water, rinse and then dry in a warm oven.
3. Add the sugar to the fruit and then boil until you reach setting point.
4. Put a small splash of rum in the bottom of each jam jar, and then pour in the marmalade, seal allow to cool and then label.
For the complete lowdown on jam making for beginners, including how to test for setting point – check out my Masterclass post
WOW! I *love* this idea!! I have never in my life made jam tho, so faintly nervous but will have to give it a go. How many jars did you need for this quantity?
Don’t be nervous – just get everything out that you need – have a read of my jam masterclass. The recipe makes 4.5kg of jam – that’s 10lb – so you’ll need 10 x 1lb (454g) jam jars or 20 of the half sized ones 8oz (227g) http://www.lakeland.co.uk/p3818/Jam-Jars;jsessionid=59A052940E2D02C6952F75344DC08E61.app1
I’m getting addicted to making chutney & chilli jam but not yet made a fruit jam/marmalade . I think I may have to make this one though.
I never thought of using brown paper for the lids – they look great, I bought some red & white polka fabric & brown string & some East of India Ribbon for my kilner jars. I’m going to have to get some brown paper now too!
Great recipe
x
Brown paper is great – looks effortlessly classy when dressed up with striking ribbons – i’m using for it for most of christmas wrapping this year… good luck with the marmalade making 🙂
I wrapped all my presents in it last year – I agree it does look very classy….. I need to get more this year for sure.
x
This looks a fabulous recipe, as do your gorgeous bottles. Beautiful gift!
Thanks Kavey – great to see you at Leiths last week 🙂
Lovely recipe and I just happen to have bought a bottle of rum (for truffles) so I’ll be bookmarking this one. I wonder if it would be nice with Seville oranges when they come out, what do you think? Love your packaging!
Rum truffles – ooooh now you’re talking! I’ve not tried making marmalade with Seville oranges… are they more sour than regular oranges? I guess it comes down to personal taste. My mum always makes Seville marmalade – she buys them when they’re in season and then puts them in the freezer until she’s ready to go.
Made this last nite for pressies my family originate from the WI’s so was a nice traditional pressie to make turned out great thank you so much xx
so pleased it turned out well – love marmalade, especially boozy!
Hi, do you use all of the oranges and lemons or just the peel, I have made Seville Orange marmalade before but was unsure of if I slice the whole fruit or just the outside!
Hi Rachel, you use the juice of the fruit, and then discard the pulp and thinly slice the peel
Thank you, I will give this a go! x