Crumpets with Marmalade and The Queen of Hearts!
Remember that book I’ve been working on with Pierre? Well…… drumroll please…..
We’re still working on it.
But since I’m here at the coffee shop with Pierre and we’re both working madly on it, I thought I’d put up a little teaser. Just as a reminder, and because Pierre’s illustrations are so awesome, aren’t they??
We’re trying to get in with Chronicle Books, but our submission is likely somewhere in the slushpile of the thousand or so submissions they receive EVERY MONTH. Sigh. Anyone work there? Anyone? Bueller?
Pierre will likely throttle me if I give up our crumpet recipe. Remember that time he made them for me? But maybe he won’t mind so much if I provide a marmalade recipe, since it is the dead of winter and citrus is where it’s at. And if you’re one to pad around the kitchen on a chilly late winter weekend (had enough of them yet?) a pot of homemade marmalade is probably right up your alley.
Plain Old Orange Marmalade
This recipe would work as well with blood oranges, Seville oranges or really any variety you want to turn into jam – or try pink grapefruit. You simmer the seeds along with the marmalade because they naturally contain pectin.
4 large thin-skinned oranges
5 cups water
pinch salt
4 cups sugarCut the oranges in half and poke the seeds out; put them into a tea ball if you have one, otherwise wrap them in cheesecloth. Slice the oranges thinly and then chop them crosswise as big or small as you like. Put them (and the tea ball) into a pot with the water and salt and bring to a boil; simmer for half an hour. Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
Stir in the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for about half an hour, or until the mixture gels; you can test it by dropping a small spoonful onto a saucer that you get nice and cold in the freezer while the marmalade simmers. When the marmalade is the consistency you like remove it from the heat, pull out the tea ball of orange seeds and divide into clean, warm jars and seal or cool completely and store in the fridge or freeze.
Makes about 4 cups.
March 10 2011 02:16 pm | breakfast
Jan @ Family Bites on 10 Mar 2011 at 2:21 pm #
Now, this is a book I’m excited for!
Vivian on 10 Mar 2011 at 2:49 pm #
Yes, looking forward to a really good homemade crumpet recipe. Came across two bags of Moro oranges at Superstore yesterday but didn’t buy them. I should have…and made this awesome marmalade recipe. It would have been a lovely colour and rather novel.
Laurie from Burnaby on 10 Mar 2011 at 3:54 pm #
Lovely. I never thought of simmering the seeds. Maybe mine would have turned out if I had. thank you
Michelle on 10 Mar 2011 at 4:50 pm #
The book looks like fun! I am going to make marmalade this weekend, with meyer lemons. yummy!
Lori on 10 Mar 2011 at 6:13 pm #
Oh Julieeeeeee! But I neeeeeeeed a crumpet recipe to serve at my Royal Wedding party!
Please?
Donna on 10 Mar 2011 at 6:16 pm #
Wonderful ! I love marmalade.
Is it possible to substitute Splenda for all or part of the sugar and get something Diabetic – friendly?
JulieVR on 10 Mar 2011 at 6:19 pm #
Donna – I wouldn’t trust splenda in these quantities to produce a marmalade that gels properly – but if you try it, let me know how it works! Also – brown sugar splenda has exactly the same amount of carbohydrates and MORE calories than regular brown sugar, just so you know!
Lori – well OK. I’ll email it to you!
Lori on 10 Mar 2011 at 6:47 pm #
Yay!
Thank you!
Sharlene on 10 Mar 2011 at 9:24 pm #
Marmalade is my absolute favorite thing on toast but I’ve never tried making it before. I can’t wait!
Ashley on 10 Mar 2011 at 9:37 pm #
Why do you boil the seeds?
JulieVR on 11 Mar 2011 at 9:11 am #
The seeds contain pectin, so simmering them alongside the fruit helps the finished marmalade set.
Cathy on 11 Mar 2011 at 12:12 pm #
I made a Meyer lemon marmalade with vanilla. Add the seeds and pod to the mix, then about a 1″ piece of the vanilla bean to each jar. Delicious!
Dana on 11 Mar 2011 at 2:04 pm #
Love the tea ball idea, never thought of it!
Can I ask one question: why let it sit overnight?
Thanks!
Ashley on 14 Apr 2011 at 4:26 pm #
Just a note, I made this with some very sweet oranges and cut down the sugar a little. It was still quite sweet, so I added some lemon juice at the end before it cooled to give it a little acid and it was improved. So, just give it a taste before it cools.
JulieVR on 15 Apr 2011 at 7:14 am #
Ashley – thanks for letting me know! I’ll give it another go and see if the sugar content needs readjustment. Thanks!