How to Make Amazing Orange Marmalade With Frozen Fruit

Can you really freeze oranges?

Not only can you freeze Seville oranges, there’s several very good reasons why you should.

Firstly, the fruit is frozen in optimum condition rather than sitting in the fridge for weeks waiting for a moment of domestic goddess inspiration to strike.

Secondly, however green and ugly looking the fruit is when it goes into the freezer, it always comes out the most beautiful, even orange colour. Seville oranges need a cold snap to ripen fully, which is why they are available during the Christmas period.

And finally, it allows you to take advantage of any price reductions you might spot while doing the weekly shop.

The method I always use for making my orange marmalade involves cooking the fruit whole (Mary Berry’s recipe from ‘The Aga Book’), and so I simply throw the frozen Seville oranges straight in the pan.

Please note this easy marmalade recipe works equally well with both fresh and frozen Seville oranges.

How to Make Amazing Seville Orange Marmalade with Frozen Fruit

• 1kg Seville Oranges fresh or frozen weight.
• 1 Lemon.
• 2kg White Sugar.
• 1350mls Water.

Place the Seville oranges and the juice of the lemon in a large pan and cover with the water, using a plate to keep the oranges submerged.

Bring to the boil, and put a lid on the pan. At this point I transfer the pan to the simmering oven of my Aga which runs at about 130 C (depending what mood it is in). You can also make this orange marmalade recipe in a conventional oven, on a hob or in a slow cooker.

Leave to poach until tender (about 2 hours). The convenience of cutting up the softened fruit in the next step makes this initial cooking time well worth the wait.

Once the oranges are tender, remove from the pan and drain, reserving the liquid.

When the fruit is cool enough to handle, cut each orange in half and scoop out all the seeds and pith.

Place all the insides you have scooped out back into the pan with the reserved liquid and boil for 6 mins, uncovered.

Strain this liquid through a sieve, using a spoon to push the pulp through. The pulp contains the Pectin which will give your marmalade a good set, so it is important to push as much as you can through (see photo above).

Cut up the peel of the cooked Seville oranges as thick or thin as you like.

Return it to the pan with the pulpy liquid and sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly for about 20 mins until setting point is reached (105C on a preserving thermometer).

If you don’t have a thermometer, spoon a little marmalade onto a saucer that has chilled in the freezer. Leave for 30 seconds, then push with your finger. If the marmalade wrinkles and doesn’t flood to fill the gap, it is ready.

Take the marmalade off the heat, and leave it to sit for 10 mins. This gives the marmalade a chance to start to thicken, preventing the rind floating to the top when you pour it into your jars.

Pour into clean, dry, hot jars that have been sterilised in a warm oven. I use clean, screw on lids for my preserves rather than waxed discs. This recipe makes 8 x 250ml jars of delicious Seville orange marmalade.

Stored in a cool dark place, Seville orange marmalade should keep well for at least a year.

Homemade Orange Marmalade is a truly wonderful thing, and despite the seemingly long cooking time this is the easiest and tastiest marmalade recipe I have tried.

Note: Here in the UK we use the above method of sterilising our jars for jams and jellies rather than water bathing them. You can, of course, water bath them instead.

If you want to enjoy the taste of Seville Oranges in a glass try our Mouth-watering Seville Orange Gin. And if you are looking for more preserves inspiration why not check out our Rose Hip and Crab Apple Jelly and Pear Piccalilli recipes.