Yes, we are in the middle of a heatwave but I had signed up to enter the Marmalade competition at our local Agricultural show in a few weeks’ time. The Seville oranges were in the freezer – well, they have a very short season around February time and I hadn’t wanted to make the preserve that far in advance. My diary for the summer is fairly full so it was now or never.
I spent the evening juicing and chopping the oranges. I used a Delia Smith recipe but, honestly, all those that I read were so similar I could have used any.
Up early the next morning to beat the heat of the day. My oven is a Rayburn – a joy in the winter but not so great in a heatwave as it maintains its cooking temperature for ages after use.
The recipe stated that the ‘setting point’ would be reached approx. 15 to 25 minutes after the mixture reaches a rolling boil – my pot of oranges took 40 minutes. This often happens and I think it is something to do with the Rayburn’s heat distribution so had factored it into my plans (part of why I needed an early start).
When I had defrosted the oranges I realised I had more than was needed so as well as making marmalade I also made an Orange Sorbet.
I chose a recipe from the Internet, too hot and bothered to trawl through my recipe books and I found one that only needed 3 ingredients. Orange juice, sugar and Star Anise – mixed, boiled, removed Star Anise, once cooled into the Ice Cream maker then in the freezer for a few hours = Dessert ?
Photo Acknowledgement:
Dog Photo by North East Courier
