Recipe: Microwave marmalades

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Makes 3 – 4 cups

Ingredients for orange marmalade:

• 4 Navel oranges
• marmalade sets best if fruit is not too ripe.
• 1 lemon
• 200ml water
• 3 cups sugar

Method:

1. Thinly slice fruit.
2. Place in two litre microwave safe jug or bowl.
3. Add water.
4. Microwave on high for 10 minutes to soften the fruit.
5. Add sugar. Stir to dissolve.
6. Then microwave on high for 10 minutes then on medium high for a further 10 minutes (watch carefully to ensure it doesn’t boil over).
7. By this time it should have reached gel point.
8. A teaspoon of marmalade on an icy cold saucer should set.
9. Cool a little.
10. Pour into sterilised jars.
11. Cover and label when cool.

Note:

Get creative and try any other citrus fruit.  Replace oranges with three pink grapefruit, six lemons  or 1.5 litres of cumquats (quartered). For cumquat marmalade: Remove the seeds from the cumquats and soak them overnight in the 200 ml water to extract the pectin.  Add the pectin water into the fruit before cooking.