VeganSouth East English cuisine Breakfast

Oxford Marmalade

Name: Oxford Marmalade
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: South East English
Ingredients: 1000 g seville oranges; 2 whole lemons; 2000 ml Water; 900 g granulated white sugar; 700 g dark muscovado sugar; 2 tbsp black treacle; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp Vegetable oil

A rich, dark Seville orange preserve packed with chunky peel and robust molasses notes, inspired by Oxford's famous nineteenth-century breakfast staple.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South East England

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 120 min
Total: 165 min
Servings: 24
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 78 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1000 g seville oranges — unwaxed, thoroughly scrubbed
2 whole lemons — unwaxed, juiced
2000 ml Water — cold tap water
900 g granulated white sugar — for clear sweetness and setting
700 g dark muscovado sugar — unrefined cane sugar for signature dark colour
2 tbsp black treacle — adds traditional bittersweet depth
½ tsp Fine sea salt — balances the sweetness
½ tsp Vegetable oil — optional drop to clear surface scum

Equipment

•large preserving pan or heavy stockpot
•muslin cloth and kitchen string
•sharp chef's knife
•sugar thermometer
•sterilised glass jars with lids

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 78 kcal
fat: 0.1 g
carbs: 19.5 g
fibre: 0.8 g
protein: 0.3 g
calories: 78 kcal

Instructions

1
Halve the scrubbed Seville oranges and squeeze out all juice and pips into a bowl.
2
Scoop out the white pith membranes from the skins and place them with the pips onto a square of muslin cloth.
3
Tie the muslin tightly with kitchen string to make a pectin bag (a spice pouch that releases setting agent).
4
Slice the orange peels into thick strips, roughly 5 mm wide, according to your preference.
5
Put the sliced peel, orange juice, lemon juice, water, and muslin bag into a large preserving pan.
6
Bring to the boil over medium-high heat on the hob, then reduce the heat to low.
7
Simmer gently uncovered for 90 minutes until the peel is completely tender and the liquid has halved.
8
Remove the muslin bag, squeeze every drop of thick pectin back into the pan, and discard the bag.
9
Add the granulated sugar, dark muscovado sugar, black treacle, and sea salt to the pan.
10
Stir over low heat until all sugar crystals have completely dissolved before allowing the mixture to boil.
11
Boil rapidly for 15 to 20 minutes until the preserve reaches the setting point of 105°C on a thermometer.
12
Skim any surface foam, leave to settle for 15 minutes, then ladle into warm sterilised jars and seal tightly.

Chef's tips

Always test peel tenderness before adding the sugars; sugar hardens citrus peel and prevents it from softening further. Keep two small saucers in the freezer to do the wrinkle test (pushing a chilled drop of preserve with a finger to check for set wrinkles). Resting the cooked marmalade for 15 minutes before jarring ensures the thick peel stays evenly distributed rather than floating to the top.

Ingredient substitutions

dark muscovado sugar → dark brown soft sugar
black treacle → unsulphured dark molasses

Storage

Store unopened sterilised jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to two years; refrigerate after opening and consume within six weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature directly from the jar without heating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding the sugar before the orange peel is fully soft, which results in tough, leathery rind.
•Boiling too gently, which prevents the marmalade from reaching its setting temperature.
•Pouring boiling preserve directly into jars without resting, which causes all the peel to float to the lid.

Serving suggestions

Spread generously over thick, hot buttered sourdough toast.Glaze roasted gammon or ham during the final 30 minutes of baking.Serve alongside sharp English farmhouse Cheddar and crusty bread.