Lemon Marmalade

 

• 1 kg lemons
• 2 kg granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out and reserved

Top and tail the lemons. Juice them, and then slice the rinds as thinly or thickly as you like. I think thinly is better, but will allow you the freedom to choose. Put lemon mixture into a large pan, and cook gently for a few hours until the lemon rind is soft. The liquid will have reduced by about a third.

Add the sugar. Boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then boil rapidly until the setting point (* see note) has been reached. This took about 40 minutes for me, though start checking at 20.

Turn off the heat. Stir through the vanilla seeds, and pour into hot, sterilised jars (* see note). Seal immediately. Use within 2 years

NB: To check for setting point: when you start boiling the jam, put a saucer in the freezer to chill. After boiling for the required time, drop small dribbles of the jam onto the saucer and wait a moment. If, when you poke the puddle of jam with your finger, the surface forms a wrinkle, the setting point has been reached. To sterilise jars, wash them in warm, soapy water, rinse, and dry on a baking sheet in a low oven.