Easy Seville Orange Marmalade (Food Processor)
Easy Seville Orange Marmalade is the perfect breakfast preserve to serve with toast. This recipe is perfect for beginners and it’s easy to make with a food processor. With all the tips for success included you will soon enjoy the fresh zingy taste of homemade marmalade.
Why make Easy Seville Orange Marmalade?
There is nothing that compares to homemade marmalade. The fresh sharp taste of Seville Orange marmalade is so unlike the mild and sweeter flavour of commercially produced marmalade.
My mum always made her own marmalade in January. She would mince the peel with an old fashioned manual mincer, I would help her by turning the handle as she fed in the peel. It’s a skill that I was able to take into my own kitchen and now I’m passing it on to you.
What ingredients do I need to make Seville Orange Marmalade?
This is a simple recipe that needs very few ingredients, here is what you need:
- Seville Oranges
- Lemon
- Water
- Sugar
A full list of the ingredients and the required quantities is found in the recipe card at the end of this article.
What are Seville Oranges?
Seville Oranges are a bitter orange with a thick bumpy peel and lots of pips. They taste a little bit like lemons but not quite so sharp. This is very seasonal produce because the oranges are imported from Seville in Spain. They are available in the shops in the UK in January.
I can’t get Seville Oranges, can I still make marmalade?
You can make a Three Fruit Marmalade using sweet oranges, grapefruit, and lemons. The flavour is different but you will still have a delicious marmalade.
Can I double the quantities to make more marmalade?
I don’t recommend you increase the quantity of marmalade in this recipe. You will be more successful if you make two batches of marmalade. I have developed and tested this recipe with the quantities in the recipe card so cannot guarantee any changes that you make.
What kind of sugar should I use for Easy Seville Orange Marmalade?
I use white granulated sugar to make this marmalade. Brown sugar will add a specific caramelised flavour to your marmalade and while this is an option, I prefer to let the taste of the oranges shine through.
This seems like a lot of sugar, can I use less?
This is a traditional marmalade recipe and uses equal quantities of sugar to fruit in order to preserve it. The high sugar level means that the jam will keep for longer. I have not tested this recipe with a lower quantity of sugar and cannot guarantee success or storage time.
Why should I add lemon juice to marmalade?
Although Seville Orange Marmalde will set without lemon juice, it helps the pectin strands to form and set. Lemon juice is also highly acidic and helps to reduce the growth of bacteria. You don’t need to add pectin or use specialised jam sugar that has added pectin.
Why should I put the pips in a piece of muslin?
The pips provide extra pectin, the setting agent for the marmalade. But as you don’t want them in your finished marmalade it’s best to tie them up in so they go into the pot in a bag.
I don’t have a food processor, can I make Easy Homemade Seville Orange Marmalade by hand?
It’s very easy to make marmalade with a food processor. Simply cut the halved and juiced oranges into quarters and process in batches until the pieces are the size of small peas. There is no need to soak the peel, you can start to make marmalade right away.
If you are not using a food processor then you can cut shreds by hand. Scrape out as much pith from the inside of the oranges as possible. Then slice the peel with a sharp knife and soak the shreds in water overnight. Use the water you soaked the peel in to make the marmalade.
What is a rolling boil?
I learned about making jam and marmalade by watching my mother and grandmother. It’s much easier to understand when you can see what you are aiming for. So here is a rolling boil video to help you see what it should look like.
How do I know when the marmalade is ready?
I use the wrinkle test to check if the marmalade is ready. Here is how to test for set:
Before you start to make the marmalade place 2 saucers or small plates in the fridge.
- After the marmalade has been at a rolling boil for 10 minutes, take it off the heat.
- Put a teaspoon of the marmalade onto one of the saucers from the fridge.
- Return it to the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Take the saucer out of the fridge and push your finger across the marmalade. If it is ready the marmalade should wrinkle where you pushed your finger (see photo above).
- If it is not ready, bring the marmalade back to a boil for 5 minutes then repeat the saucer test. Be careful not to burn the marmalade on the base of the pan.
- Skim off any froth on top of the marmalde in the pan with a metal spoon, then pour or ladle your jelly into sterilised jars and seal.
Check out this video to see the wrinkle!
How should I store Easy Homemade Seville Orange Marmalade?
Store the sealed sterilised jam jars in a cool larder or cupboard. A lot depends on where you live in the world and how warm or humid your climate is. However, once the marmalade is opened I tend to keep it in the fridge unless it is going to be used quickly.
Do I need to water bath the marmalade?
No, it is not necessary to water bath this marmalade. I have been making jam and marmalade for over 40 years and I never use the water bath method. The high sugar content in this marmalade recipe and properly sterilsed jars means that the unopened jam jars will be safe to store out of the fridge. Once you open the marmalade it is safer to store it in the fridge.
How long can I keep the jars of marmalade?
You can keep sealed jars of Seville Orange Marmalade for up to a year without any deterioration in quality. You can keep it longer than that and it will still be edible but you may lose some colour and sometimes it shrinks inside the jar.
How do I sterilise jam jars?
There are many different ways to sterilise jam jars including putting them in a hot wash in the dishwasher. This is how I sterilise my jars:
- Wash and rinse the glass jars and metal lids
- Put the wet glass jars on a baking tray upside down.
- Place in the oven at 120C (250 F) before you start to make the marmalade. The water creates steam which helps to sterilise the jars.
- Pour boiling water from the kettle over the lids then drain and leave to dry on kitchen paper.
- Take the jars out of the oven and fill them with the hot jam, then put on the lids.
- When the jars have cooled check that the lids are tight and tighten further if needed.
You can also sterilise your jars on a hot wash in your dishwasher or use your Air Fryer to sterilise a small batch of jars.
Why is this marmalade not clear?
As you can see food processor marmalade has a slightly cloudy appearance. This is because the food processor makes a rougher chunky marmalade than shredded marmalade. It is much quicker and easier to make but it isn’t a marmalade that will win you any prizes in a show!
Vegetarian
This recipe is suitable for vegetarians.
Gluten Free
Seville Orange Marmalade is gluten free. Serve with gluten free toasted bread.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Easy Seville Orange Marmalade?
The classic way to serve marmalade is on hot buttered toast for breakfast. It’s also fantastic on other baked goods such as scones, crumpets and even oatcakes. You can also use marmalade as a glaze for gammon, or in a marinade as an alternative to honey.
More recipes using Oranges
Easy Seville Orange Marmalade (Food Processor)
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- chopping board
- Lemon squeezer
- jug
- muslin cloth
- small bowl
- Food Processor
- weighing scales
- large pan
- long wooden spoon
- saucer
- 8 x 380 ml (1lb) jam jars
Ingredients
- 900 grams (2 pounds) Seville oranges
- 2300 millilitres (4 pints) water
- 1 (1) lemon
- 1800 grams (7 cups) sugar
Instructions
- Wash 900g (2 lb) of Seville Oranges and cut them in half,
- Squeeze out the juice and put it into a jug.remove the pips.
- Remove the pips and the flesh from the oranges. I find a dessert spoon is a good tool for this.
- Put the pips and flesh in a muslin or stockinette bag. I stretch the bag over a small bowl to help catch any extra juice.
- Cut the orange halves into quarters.
- Put half the orange pieces into the food processor. Process until the pieces are about the size of a small pea. Then process the remaining pieces.
- Put all the processed peel into a large pan.
- Squeeze the juice from one lemon and add to the pan. You can also chop the lemon halves in the food processor and include them in the marmalade if liked.
- Put orange juice in a pan with 2300 millilitres (4 pints) of water.
- Tie up the muslin bag with the pips and flesh inside and add to the pan. Leave a good long piece of string so you can easily lift it from the pan later.
- Bring to the boil and simmer about 1½ hours until the peel is soft and liquid reduced by half.
- Take out a bag of pips and squeeze out any liquid into a pan.
- Stir in 1800 grams (7 cups) sugar over low heat until dissolved.
- Boil rapidly for 15 minutes.
- Then test for setting point using the wrinkle test. See notes.
- Skim off any froth from the top of the marmalade. It's okay to eat this, but it will spoil the look of the marmalade in the jars. Just put it in a small dish and enjoy it on your toast.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then stir well and ladle into warm, sterilised jars.
- Cover, seal, and label the jars. Store in a cool dry place.
- Serve Seville Orange Marmalade on hot buttered toast.
Notes
To make without a food processor
Remove as much pith as possible from the squeezed oranges. Finely slice the orange rind and soak in the water overnight before bringing the peel and water to a boil with the lemon juice and following the remaining steps of the recipe.The wrinkle test
Before you start to make the marmalade place 2 saucers or small plates in the fridge.- After the marmalade has been at a rolling boil for 10 minutes, take it off the heat.
- Put a teaspoon of the marmalade onto one of the saucers from the fridge.
- Return it to the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Take the saucer out of the fridge and push your finger across the marmalade. If it is ready the marmalade should wrinkle where you pushed your finger (see photo above).
- If it is not ready, bring the marmalade back to a boil for 5 minutes then repeat the saucer test. Be careful not to burn the marmalade on the base of the pan.
Oh that looks delish, I'm so jealous now as I've never made marmalade, only strawberry jam. I always used to buy homemade from the WI when I lived near one, but I must get on and make some myself, I just need some muslin!
Your marmalade looks heavenly Janice. Fingers crossed x
It looks lovely to me Janice, perfect in every way…like you I only like homemade marmalade, mass produced is so inferior to me. Some of mine has been underset and too runny…so I do not believe I have a chance of any kind of win. BUT I have enjoyed the challenge of taking part. (I think you should get your mum to submit a jar she'd beat the pants of all of us I bet!) xxx
Thank you all. Sue you are probably right about my Mum's marmalade it is always really good! She has won lots of baking competitions through the SWRI (Scottish equivalent of WI), but doesn't enter any more.
ON my laptop and able to comment! LOVELY looking marmalade and good luck with the awards Janice!Thanks for the mention and I am now about to link back to you here, so us Three Marmalade Queens are on the same song sheet! Karen xxx
Thank you Karen, more like the three bears I think! Paddington Bears, of course.
One very happy Paddington Bear here, or should I say a husband with a really happy grin on his face. This marmalade is straight forward to make and tastes lovely. Thanks for helping a puzzled Swiss out 🙂
I’m glad you found it easy to make and that your husband liked it too. I try to make my recipes easy and tasty and I need to get my own marmalade made next weekend!
Great description and I love the links to the videos, so helpful. I’ve never made marmalade but it looks much easier than I realised!
Thanks, I like to make things as easy as possible and, you are right, it’s really not that difficult.
Just wondering if the jam needs a hot water bath after making? Can we eat the marmalade immediately, or should it sit for a few days first? Thanks the marmalade does look lovely.
Hi Kathie, I don’t water bath any of my jams or marmalade. As long as the jars are sterilised and sealed it should be fine to keep for up to a year. However, you can eat the marmalade straight away, so it’s unlikely to last that long!
I have made both and both delicious. The minced was more bitter which was still delicious . I bought 10kg seville for only $10 local farm. I have plenty of jars and made 18 jars so far. Thank you for the great recipe.???
That’s great to hear Bridgid. You really got a bargain there.
Im really encouraged by the idea of using a food processor. Every year in January I slave away making 3 batches of marmalade, painstakingly cutting the peel into hundreds of tiny slices …This is going to make the task much less onerous.
I hear you, Patti. No way I’d cut up peel. It may be a bit more chunky and the marmalade isn’t as clear but it does taste fantastic!
Do you have a recipe for lemon marmalade? I’m looking for one to make intending to add ground ginger and chopped stem ginger with maybe some root ginger, any help gratefully received.
I don’t currently have a lemon marmalade recipe, but I will add it to my list!