Elderflower cordial and lemons make a mean marmalade. 

Words: Jane Wrigglesworth

INGREDIENTS

1kg lemons
1 litre water
1.5kg jam-setting sugar
100ml elderflower cordial (here’s how to make your own)

METHOD

Place a saucer in the freezer so you can test the setting point later on.

Squeeze the lemon juice into a large saucepan or preserving pan – remove any pips and set aside. Use a spoon to scrape the pulp from the peel. Place the pulp and the pips on a piece of muslin, and tie it together to create a little bag.

Place the muslin bag into the saucepan, then add the water. Cut the lemon peel into narrow strips and add to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until the peel is soft.

Remove the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about a third. Remove the muslin bag and squeeze it between two spoons over the pot to get as much liquid out as possible.

Add the sugar to the pan along with the elderflower cordial. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil gently for 20 minutes.

Test the marmalade for the setting point. Place a spoonful onto the cold saucer and leave for a couple of minutes – it should wrinkle softly when you push your finger over the surface. If not, boil the marmalade for another 2-3 minutes and test again. Repeat until the setting point is reached.

Turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes, then pour into sterilised jars. Leave to cool, then seal and label.

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