Blood orange marmalade with Campari recipe
When life gives you oranges, make orange marmalade {or marmalade tart} …
Of all winter citrus fruit, blood oranges are by far my favorite. More tart and aromatic than the average orange, I also love the different shades of color each fruit flesh reveals: from sunny orange to rich crimson to dark purple tones - there seems to be an endless range of sunny color variations.
And with only a very short window of availability each winter, here is my favorite fix to stock up on blood orange flavor & color year-round …
the ingredients.
~ fresh blood oranges
~ water
~ granulated sugar
{ratio: equal parts processed fruit, water & sugar}
~ optional: a dash of Campari
Wash the oranges in warm water, rubbing the skins to take off any wax coverings {especially if you cannot find organic oranges}.
Trim the tops and bottoms from the blood oranges, reserving the peel caps.
With a sharp knife cut the orange peel lengthwise into thirds or quarters and carefully peel the fruit.
Here is what makes citrus marmalade different from other fruit jam: for an added layer of flavor {& a dash of bitterness}, you want to add the citrus peel, which needs to soften - and here's how:
place the orange peel in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and slowly bring to a boil.
Boil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Drain. Return the saucepan to the stove, cover with fresh cold water and boil for another 10 minutes. Drain again {& repeat a third time, if peel is not soft to the touch}.
Let the peel cool for a few minutes. Take a small spoon and carefully scrape away all white pith from inside each peel segment.
Now stack a few peel segments and with a sharp knife cut into very fine julienne strips:
While the peel is boiling, separate the orange segments from the membrane. Save juices and squeeze the membranes to remove any additional juice, collecting juice and segments in a large saucepan. Discard the membranes.
Add the julienned peel and enough water to cover segments & peel. Slowly bring the saucepan to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until the peel is very soft - about 30-40 minutes. Test the peel by pressing between two fingers.
Pour in water a cup at a time {make sure to keep count!} until the fruit is just covered. Bring back to boiling. Now gradually stir in the sugar {same amount of cups as water previously added} and heat up to a strong boil. Stir!
For the perfect marmalade fruit/sugar ratio, I add the same amount of sugar as water {not too sweet, not too bitter}. And if the batch turns out too sweet, adding some Campari will bring back the bitterness.
While boiling and stirring, keep an eye on the consistency : the marmalade will begin to gel after about 10-12 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour into sterilized glasses & seal.
Voila, bright year-round citrus sunshine in a glass :)
