Archive2023

Quick and easy baking recipes this week, delicious treats to bring a smile to everyone’s face. You can whip them up in a few minutes and have fun with the kids in the kitchen.

Just a few little things to say before we get started…. It’s important to weigh ingredients accurately for baking, otherwise you may get a disappointing and inconsistent result , after all the effort your cakes and bikkies ought to be super delicious….

The quality of the ingredients you use really, really matters, of course use butter rather than margarine, both for flavour and because it’s far better for your health.

Use the best and freshest eggs you can find and pure ingredients, for example, vanilla extract rather than that vanilla essence that was never ‘next nor near’ an actual vanilla pod…. The difference in flavour is dramatic…. The real thing is far more expensive but you can actually make your own very easily using a spirit, either gin or vodka. We always have a vanilla extract bottle on the go here. Check out the recipe below.

When using orange zest, use organic fruit or else give them a good scrub before you grate the zest to wash off the many chemicals on the rind. Don’t forget my thrifty tip to dry the peels and use them for firelighters.

The correct size tin/tins can also make the difference between success and a disappointing result.

Keep an eye out in charity shops to add to your collection of different size tins. I find real treasures from time to time and always hope to discover older tins that tend to be made of heavier gauge and so give extra protection to the edges of the cake while baking.

Let’s start with popovers.  Even if you never before made anything, you can make popovers. Just whisk all the ingredients together, allow the batter to rest for a bit, then pour some into a well-oiled bun tray or  muffin tin and straight into a preheated hot oven. They will pop up magically and have a dip in the middle that can be filled with everything from raspberry jam and cream to a spoonful of that delicious marmalade you made from my recipe in last week’s column….! A special breakfast bite…dredge with icing sugar. 

Guess what and with no extra embellishment you’ve got Yorkshire puddings to serve with a roast beef dinner…Or how about a savoury version … pop a little salad into the centre instead.

Now isn’t that a little gem of a recipe and Willowzina’s cake is another that you will return to over and over again because you can do so many riffs on it. Add lemon or orange zest, coffee extract or cocoa powder…… Ice and decorate with whatever you fancy or spoon a lemon drizzle over the top. Plus it keeps well if you can manage to hide it away in an airtight tin.  

Wee buns with sprinkles are also irresistible and how about these peanut butter cookies… Finally our favourite brownies, how’s that for a baking fest to get you started… Let me know how you get on.

Wee Buns with Sprinkles

I adore sprinkles, use the colours you love most, the red and green ones are the most festive but I love them all. 

Makes 10

175g (6oz) soft butter

150g (5oz) caster sugar

3 eggs, preferably free range

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

Icing

225g (8oz) icing sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 – 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

sprinkles

1 bun tray with 10 – 12 holes

Line the base of the tins with small muffin papers or bun cases… 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Put the soft butter, caster sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into the bowl of a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Divide evenly between the 10 or 12 cases depending on size.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes approx. or until golden and well risen.  Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile make the Icing.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl.   Add the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to make a softish icing. Use a palette knife to spread a little icing on each bun, decorate the tops with a generous sprinkling of sprinkles. 

Willowzina’s Cake with Pistachio and Rose Petals

This is a gem of a recipe, made in minutes even without a food processor.  It can be dressed up or down in so many ways – raspberry and coconut – sounds dull but it’s super delicious.  When the cake is cold, cover the top with raspberry jam and sprinkle generously with desiccated coconut or spoon some lemon drizzle over the top.

Serves 8 – 10

175g (6oz) soft butter

150g (5oz) caster sugar

3 eggs, preferably free range

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

Lemon Glacé Icing

225g (8oz) icing sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

To Decorate:

chopped pistachios

rose petals, dried or fresh

1 x 20.5cm (8 inch) sandwich tin, buttered and floured. 

Line the base of the tin with parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Put the soft butter, caster sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into the bowl of a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate and turn into the prepared tin – make a dip in the centre so it rises evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen.

Cool in the tin for a few minutes, remove and cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl.   Add the lemon rind and enough lemon juice to make a softish icing.

Once the cake is cool, pour the icing over the cake and spread gently over the sides with a palette knife. Sprinkle with coarsely chopped pistachios and dried or fresh rose petals.  Serve on a pretty plate.

Alternative Icings

Super-Fast Lemon Drizzle

Spoon the syrup over the top of the cake while it’s still in the tin just as soon as it comes out of the oven.

freshly grated rind of 1 lemon

freshly squeezed juice of 1 – 2 lemons

75g (3oz) caster sugar

Mix the ingredients for the glaze.

Chocolate Icing

A super easy chocolate icing for éclairs, cookie sandwiches or a half quantity cake. Should be enough to ice this cake but it keeps for 1 – 2 weeks covered in the fridge.  Decorate with toasted hazelnuts. 

175g (6oz) icing sugar

50g (2oz) cocoa

75g (3oz) butter

75ml (3fl oz) water

75g (3oz) caster sugar

Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Measure the butter, water and sugar into a saucepan. Set over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted. Bring just to the boil, then draw off the heat and pour at once into the sifted ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy. It will thicken as it cools. 

Coffee and Walnut Icing

Pour over the top of the cake, spread gently to the edges and allow to drip over the sides of the cake.  Decorate with half walnuts or pecans. 

450g (1lb) icing sugar

scant 2 tablespoons Irel or Camp coffee essence

about 4 tablespoons boiling water

Sieve the icing sugar and put into a bowl. Add coffee essence and enough boiling water to make it the consistency of a thick cream.

How to Make Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Pure vanilla extract is gorgeous but enormously expensive. You can make your own superb extract quite easily. The flavour of the vanilla is extracted by the alcohol, which in turn becomes more mellow. The vanilla pods can later be used to flavour custards, creams and mousses.

Split 3 or 4 vanilla pods lengthways, put into a 600ml (1 pint) bottle of vodka or brandy, seal tightly and leave to infuse for at least 3 days, but better still for up to 4 – 6 weeks before using. Shake occasionally. Before use, strain the liquid through a fine nylon sieve. Store in small airtight bottles. It keeps almost indefinitely.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Insanely simple cookies that I found years ago from a reader’s recipe in Gourmet magazine. Amy Fritch contributed her grandmother’s recipe.

Makes 36 – 40

225g (8oz) chunky or creamy peanut butter

175g (6oz) sugar

1 large egg, free-range and organic

1 teaspoon baking soda (Bicarbonate of soda)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 baking trays lined with silicone paper

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4.

Mix the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl, add 1 beaten egg, baking soda and salt and beat with a wooden spoon until combined.

Roll into balls a little smaller than a walnut. Arrange about 2.5cm (1 inch) apart on the baking tray. Flatten with a fork to about 4cm (1 1/2 inch) diameter. Bake in batches in the preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Allow to cool for

2­ – 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Store in an air-tight tin. Keeps brilliantly for 4 or 5 days.

Ruffles Chocolate Brownies

We must have at least a dozen delicious brownie recipes in our repertoire.  Florrie Cullinane, a senior tutor at Ballymaloe Cookery School shared this recipe, it was a perennial favourite in her restaurant.

Makes 24 – 36 depending on size

375g (13oz) chocolate (good quality 62% Valrhona or Callebaut)

375g (13oz) butter

6 eggs

400g (14oz) caster sugar

200g (7oz) flour

150g (5oz) chopped walnuts or hazelnuts or pecans

Tin – 35 x 24 x 6cm depth (14 x 9 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch depth)

180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a gentle heat.  Whisk the eggs and sugar together until it’s a light mousse.  Gradually add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mousse.  Fold in the flour to this mixture.  Finally add the chopped nuts.  Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then turn down to 160°C/315°F/Gas Mark 2 1/2 for another 20 minutes until the centre is slightly wobbly, leave to sit in the tin to cool and set.  Turn out carefully and cut into squares. Yummy!

Popovers and variations

This is a gem of a recipe which can be made in seconds and used as a sweet or savoury dish, breakfast, as a pudding or just to go with a cup of tea.  There are many variations on the theme.

For 14 popovers

110g (4oz) flour

2 eggs

300ml (10fl oz) milk

15g (1/2oz) butter, melted

Filling

1/2 pot marmalade OR raspberry jam OR cranberry sauce OR savoury filling of your choice OR salad if desired

150ml (5fl oz) cream, whipped

icing sugar, to dust

Sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre of the flour, drop in the eggs.  Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, stir continuously, gradually drawing in flour from the sides and add the milk in a steady stream at the same time.  When all the flour has been mixed in, whisk in the remainder of the milk and cool melted butter.  Allow to stand for one hour.  Grease hot deep patty tins with pure beef dripping or oil and fill half full.  Bake in a hot oven 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8 for 20 minutes approx.

Remove from the tins.  Cool and fill with a teaspoon of homemade marmalade or raspberry jam or cranberry sauce and whipped cream (or savoury filling of your choice).  Decorate with holly leaves.

Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Note: If serving for breakfast fill with a spoon full of homemade marmalade, omit the cream.

Cheese Popovers: Add 50g (2oz) grated Cheddar cheese and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and a good pinch of salt to the mixture, season well and proceed as above, omit the jam and cream and enjoy immediately!

In 2023, we can no longer pretend that we don’t know the damage ultra-processed food is doing to our health.  The research is there so this year let’s heed it and invest in fresh, chemical free seasonal food, chock-full of vitamins and minerals to nourish the family rather than damage their health. 

1. Let’s spend as much as we can afford on wholesome food rather than having to spend it later on meds and bottles of pills.  This will be the year when we resolve to eliminate ultra-processed food completely from our family diet.

2. Try to get to your local Farmers Market once a week.  It’s a completely different and infinitely more satisfying way of shopping.  You can buy directly from the farmer or food producers.  That way you know the source of your food and all the money (rather than less than one-third) goes directly to the farmer to enable them to continue to produce this fresh food for your local community.

If there is no Farmers Market close by, why not think about starting one with a group of friends…. 

3. Alternatively, check out NeighbourFood, the online Farmers’ Market, www.neighbourfood.ie Every week they have a selection of hundreds of local foods to choose from … seasonal fruit and vegetables, farmhouse cheese, pickles, preserves, home baking, heritage meat and free-range  poultry, natural wine, cider and maybe even juices and cocktails…Order, pay and collect…

4. Agree a time when everyone will get together around the table to enjoy a kitchen supper at least three nights a week.  Sitting down is not just about eating, it’s about children having fun,  learning table manners, how to share, exchange views and banter.  Even if they are only arguing, it keeps the lines of communication open…

5. Gather all the family together, explain your plan, enlist their help… Make a rota so everyone is involved and realises that there will be a bit more work but it’ll be fun and so worth the effort. 

6. Strictly no phones at the table, a difficult one to enforce but resolve to stand your ground!

7. Decide to grow some of your own food in 2023, even if it’s just salad leaves in a container on the windowsill or balcony. Better still make a plan with some friends to grow and share a variety of homegrown produce.  Perennial vegetables like rhubarb, Jerusalem artichokes, Welsh onions, and kale are also brilliant to have.  Chives, mint and marjoram re-emerge every year whilst hardy rosemary, sage and thyme will see you through the winter as well.  Believe me, you won’t want to waste a scrap after you’ve put all that effort into growing.  It’ll bring you so much joy, teach the kids a life skill and save money particularly during this cost-of-living crisis…www.giy.ie

8. This year, let’s decide to challenge ourselves to have a Zero Waste policy in our homes…once one get onto that wavelength it becomes a game…You’ll find more and more ways to repurpose all sorts of things and to use up leftovers deliciously. 

9. In 2023, how about trying out one new dish every week…Lots of us get into a rut and serve the same food month in, month out.  Even if it’s delicious, it can get a bit boring and biodiversity of nutrients is also vitally important for our overall health.  Ask for requests and suggestions and HELP…  

10. Avoid low-fat or light products, they are unquestionably the biggest con of the 20^th & 21^st Century, yet shop shelves are still full of them.  If they worked, how come obesity figures continue to rise exponentially.  Believe me, they are not good for your health but have been and continue to be a boom to the multi-national food company profits – check out the research… 

If you have a specific request, email me at darina@cookingisfun.ie – provided  I have a recipe, I’ll do my best to include it in my Examiner column.  I’ve included some recipes using leftovers from Christmas this week.

A happy, healthy, fun and delicious New Year to all our readers. 

Winter Vegetable and Bean Soup with Spicy Sausage

A great way to use up the contents of your fridge.

We make huge pots of this in the Winter, I usually keep some in the freezer. Kabanossi is a thin sausage now widely available, it gives a gutsy slightly smoky flavour to the soup which although satisfying is by no means essential.

Serves 8 – 9

225g (8oz) rindless streaky bacon, cut into 5mm (1/4 inch) lardons

2 tablespoons olive oil

225g (8oz) onions, chopped

300g (10oz) carrot, cut into 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

215g (7 1/2oz) celery, chopped into 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

125g (4 1/2oz) parsnips, chopped into 5mm (1/4 inch) dice

200g (7oz) white part of 1 leek, 5mm (1/4 inch) slices thick approx.

1 Kabanossi sausage, cut into 3mm (1/8 inch) thin slices

400g (1 x 14oz) tin of tomatoes

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

1.7 litres (3 pints) good homemade chicken stock,

225g (8oz) haricot beans, cooked *

Garnish

2 tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped

extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Prepare the vegetables. Put the olive oil in a saucepan, add the bacon* (see note at bottom of recipe) and sauté over a medium heat until it becomes crisp and golden, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cover and sweat for five minutes, next add the parsnip and finely sliced leeks. Cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes. Slice the Kabanossi sausage thinly and add. Chop the tomatoes and add to the rest of the vegetables and the beans. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar, add the chicken stock. Allow to cook until all the vegetables are tender, 20 minutes approx. Taste and correct the seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, serve with lots of crusty bread.

* Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.  Next day, strain the beans and cover with fresh cold water, add a bouquet garni, carrot and onion, cover and simmer until the beans are soft but not mushy – anything from 30 – 60 minutes.  Just before the end of cooking, add salt.  Remove the bouquet garni and vegetables and discard.

Note

If the bacon is very salty, put into a small saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Strain and dry on kitchen paper. 

Leftover Pie 

The turkey has probably been eaten up by now but how about some leftover chicken and ham for this delicious pie – it’s the most scrumptious way to use up leftovers and can be topped with fluffy mashed potatoes or a puff pastry lid.

Serves 12

900g (2lbs) cooked chicken, white and brown meat and crispy skin

450g (1lb) cooked ham or bacon

25g (1oz) butter

110g (4oz) onion, chopped

350g (12oz) leek, sliced

1 – 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional)

225g (8oz) flat mushrooms or button if flats are not available

1 clove of garlic, crushed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

900ml (1 1/2 pints) well-flavoured chicken or better still turkey stock or 600ml (1 pint) stock and 300ml (10fl oz) gravy

150ml (5fl oz) cream

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 teaspoons fresh marjoram or tarragon, if available

roux

900g (2lb) mashed Potato 450g (1lb) puff pastry

2 x 1.2 litre (2 pint) capacity pie dishes with a lip.

Cut the roast chicken and ham into 2.5cm (1 inch) approx. pieces and shred the crispy skin. 

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the chopped onions, sliced leeks and ginger, if using.  Cover and sweat for about 10 minutes, until they are soft but not coloured.  Meanwhile, wash and slice the mushrooms.  When the onions and leeks are soft, stir in the garlic and then remove to a plate. 

Increase the heat and cook the sliced mushrooms, a few at a time.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add to the onions and garlic.  Toss the cold chicken and ham in the hot saucepan, using a little extra butter if necessary.  Add to the mushrooms and onions.  Deglaze the saucepan with the stock.  Add the cream and chopped herbs.  Bring it to the boil, thicken with roux, add the meat, mushrooms and onions and simmer for 5 minutes.  Taste and correct the seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 190˚C/375˚F/Gas Mark 5.

Fill into 2 x 1.2 litres (2 pint) capacity pie dishes with a lip and pipe rosettes of mashed potato all over the top.  Bake in the preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until the potato is golden and the pie is bubbling.

Alternatively, if you would like to have a pastry crust, allow the filling to get quite cold.  Roll out the pastry to about 3mm (1/8 inch) thickness, then cut a strip from around the edge the same width as the lip of the pie dish.  Brush the edge of the dish with water and press the strip of pastry firmly down onto it, then wet the top of the strip.  Cut the pastry into an oval just slightly larger than the pie dish.  Press this down onto the wet border, flute the edges of the pastry with a knife and then scallop them at 2.5cm (1 inch) approx. intervals.  Roll out the trimmings and cut into leaves to decorate the top.  Make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape while cooking. 

Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven, 250˚C/475˚F/Gas Mark 9, for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat down to moderate, 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4, for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through and the pie is bubbling.

Serve with a good green salad.

Kohlrabi, White Cabbage and Cranberry Slaw with Herbs and Sesame Seeds

I love this salad, which we borrowed from Yotam Ottolenghi who made it at a cookery class here at the school – the pickled ginger provides a zesty burst of flavour.  White turnip can be substituted for kohlrabi in this recipe and dried cherries for cranberries if you prefer.

Serves 4

3-4 kohlrabi bulbs

200g (7oz) white cabbage, finely shredded 

25g (1oz) flat-leaf parsley, chopped

25g (1oz) dill, chopped

25g (1oz) tarragon, chopped

70g (scant 3oz) dried cranberries

2 teaspoons pickled ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

120ml (scant 4 1/2fl oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

2 tablespoons nigella seeds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the kohlrabi.  Yotam peels them and slices them into matchsticks, but we grate them on the coarsest part of a box grater and it works very well.

Put into a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and tweak if necessary.  Fresh tasting and delicious.

Christmas Mincemeat Scones with Brandy Butter

Makes 18 – 20 scones using a 7 1/2 cm (3inch) cutter

900g (2lbs) plain white flour

175g (6oz) butter

450g (16oz) Ballymaloe mincemeat (or vegetarian, no suet)

3 free-range eggs

pinch of salt

50g (2oz) caster sugar

3 heaped teaspoons baking powder

450ml (15fl oz) approx. milk to mix

Glaze

Egg Wash (see below)

Demerara sugar for sprinkling on top of the scones

To Serve

Brandy Butter

First preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and rub in the butter. Add the mincemeat and toss well to distribute evenly through the flour. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add all but 2 tablespoons (save to egg wash the top of the scones to help them to brown in the oven) to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board.  Don’t knead but shape just enough to make a round.  Roll out to about 2 1/2cm (1inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones. Put onto a baking sheet – no need to grease.  Brush the tops with egg wash and dip each one in demerara sugar. Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a little wire rack.

Serve while still warm, split in half and slathered with homemade brandy butter.

Brandy Butter

Serve with mince pies, plum puddings or on scones.

75g (3oz) butter

75g (3oz) icing sugar

6 tablespoons brandy

Cream the butter until very light, add the sieved icing sugar and beat again.  Then beat in the brandy, drop by drop.  If you have a food processor, use it: you will get a wonderfully light and fluffy Brandy Butter.  Fill into glass jars and cover tightly.

Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding

Bread and Butter Pudding is a most irresistible way of using up leftover white bread – this is a particularly delicious recipe.

Serves 6 – 8

12 slices panettone or good-quality white bread, crusts removed

50g (2oz) butter, preferably unsalted

1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg or cinnamon

200g (7oz) Lexia raisins or plump sultanas

450ml (16fl oz) cream

225ml (8fl oz milk

4 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or a dash of Eau de Vie or brandy

175g (6oz) sugar

1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling on top of the pudding

Garnish

Softly whipped cream

1 x 20.5cm (8 inch square pottery or China dish

Butter the panettone or bread and arrange 4 slices, buttered side down, in one layer in a dish.  Sprinkle with half of the nutmeg or cinnamon and half the raisins, arrange another layer of bread, buttered side down, over the raisins, and sprinkle the remaining spice and fruit on top.  Cover the raisins with the remaining panettone or bread, buttered side down.

In a bowl whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, eau de vie or brandy if using and sugar.  Pour the mixture through a sieve over the pudding.  Sprinkle the sugar over the top and let the mixture stand, covered loosely, at room temperature for at least 1 hour or chill overnight.

Bake in a bain-marie, the water should be halfway up the sides of the baking dish.  Bake in the middle of a preheated oven, 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4, for 1 hour approx. or until the top is crisp and golden.  Serve the pudding warm with some softly-whipped cream.

Old-Fashioned Seville Orange Marmalade

Seville and Malaga oranges come into the shops after Christmas every year and are around for just 4 – 5 weeks so get cracking.

Makes approx. 3.2kg (7lbs)

900g (2lbs) of Seville oranges, organic if possible

2.3 litres (4 pints) water

1 organic lemon

1.45kg (3 1/4lbs) granulated sugar

Wash the fruit, cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Remove the membrane with a spoon, put with the pips and tie them in a piece of muslin. Slice the peel finely or coarsely, depending on how you like your marmalade. Put the peel, orange and lemon juice, bag of pips and water into a non-reactive bowl or saucepan overnight.

Next day, bring everything to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours until the peel is really soft. Then cook uncovered until the liquid is reduced to between 1/3 – 1/2 of the original volume (30 minutes approx.). Squeeze all the liquid from the bag of pips and remove it.

Add the warmed sugar and stir until all the sugar has been dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to a full rolling boil rapidly until setting point is reached 5-10 minutes approx. Test for a set, either with a sugar thermometer (it should register 104˚C/220˚F), or with a saucer. Put a little marmalade on a cold saucer and cool for a few minutes. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it’s done.

Allow marmalade to sit in the saucepan for 15 minutes before bottling to prevent the peel from floating.   Pot into hot sterilized jars. Cover immediately and store in a cool dry dark place.

N.B. The peel must be absolutely soft before the sugar is added, otherwise when the sugar is added it will toughen the peel and no amount of boiling will soften it.