Anniversary Marmalade

It’s our 10th anniversary today. Not of marriage but of our first get together, but still something to celebrate. I’ve had breakfast in bed and tomorrow we’re spending the day in town together and the evening at Locanda Locatelli. Can’t wait.

But today, I've been told to stay in and wait for my present to arrive......Scrap and me have got our fingers crossed for a cake.
In the meantime, he's watching The Lion King (never seen it before) and I’m making my lemon marmalade for the Bellenden Bun Fight, the week after next. Here are the details again in case you forgot:

Saturday 16th June
Review Book Shop
Entries in 10 – 12pm, judging at 3pm
Categories:
Baking
Preserving
Kids

Lemon and lime leaf marmalade
Makes 10 jars
1kg lemons
2.2 litres water
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 star anise
2.5kg granulated sugar


Place the lemons and water in a very large pan and bring to the boil. Cover and cook on the lowest setting for 2 hours.

Leave until cool enough to handle.

Halve the lemons and scoop out the pulp, pips and pith and add to the pan along with the star anise. Shred the rind as you go and set aside .

Bring the pan to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve, lined with a cloth back into the clean pan. 

Add the shredded rind and sugar, gently bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves then boil vigorously for 15 – 20 minutes.

Test by putting a little onto a cold saucer and returning to the fridge for a few minutes – push the marmalade with your finger and if it wrinkles, it is ready to set. If not, keep boiling and testing.

Carefully ladle the hot marmalade into warm sterilised jars (wash then put in a cold oven, turn to low heat and leave for 20 minutes), then top with a wax disc and circle of sellophane. Leave to cool and set then it’s ready to eat.