Method

• 1.
  This recipe is scaled down and uses just three pieces of fruit (about 500g). You can use just one variety of citrus, or a combination of lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges. Give the citrus a good scrub, place it in a good-sized saucepan and cover with 6 cups (1.5L) water. You need to boil the citrus until it is tender and the skins can be easily pierced. Don’t rush this step – if you don’t soften the skin, you’ll end up with chewy bits in your marmalade! Oranges and grapefruit may take up to 2 hours, while lemons and limes should be closer to 1 hour.
• 2.
  Once the fruit is soft, remove from the pan and set aside until cool enough to handle, reserving the cooking liquid in a measuring jug. Cut the fruit in half and remove the pips, then thinly slice into long strips. Put the fruit strips and all their juices in a wide-mouthed pan with 850ml of the cooking water (adding extra fresh water if you don’t have enough), 3 cups (690g) caster sugar, a pinch of salt, and any flavours of your choice, such as a sprig of thyme or rosemary, some lemon zest, 2-3 tbs freshly grated ginger, or warm spices, such as cinnamon or clove. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil and cook for 20-25 minutes until the marmalade is set. Allow the marmalade to sit for 5-10 minutes, then bottle into sterilised jars and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.