Orange jam
For those who prefer fruit with a stronger flavor, oranges are probably your best bet for winter. Oranges are always great – eaten whole or served as a jam. To make a good orange jam at home, however, a minimum of technical experience is required. That’s because oranges have the tendency to become bitter and we have to offset that bitterness with sweet flavors. Follow our guidelines to make “non-bitter” orange jam:
Orange jam ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need a maximum of 8 oranges (about 4 lb). We suggest a particularly sweet variety of oranges. In Italy, the sweetest oranges come from the province of Agrigento in the recognized area of the Arancia di Ribera DOP. You’ll also need 8 lb. of sugar, a liter of water, the juice of a lemon, vanilla extract and five tablespoons of rum. This will make 8 jars.
Blanch the oranges
After pricking the oranges with a fork, soak them for three days in a large pot full of water to be changed every morning and every evening. By doing this, the oranges will lose its bitter taste and it will be possible to make the jam without discarding the peels. On the fourth day, remove the rinds and any seeds. Cut the oranges in half and slice them ½ cm thick with the whole peel.
Making the orange jam
Place mixture in a very large pot with enough water to equal the mixture in weight. Bring everything to a boil. After about ten minutes, add a quantity of sugar that’s equal to the weight of the oranges and lemon juice. Mix until the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and bring the jam mixture to a simmer, stirring it every fifteen minutes. Now we can try the “saucer test”: place a drop of the jam on a tilted saucer; if the gel properly “slips” rather than dripping, the jam is ready. If not, we cook a little more. The jam should cook for approximately two to two and a half hours in order to reach this jam-like consistency.
Sealed jar storage
Once you turn off the heat, add the rum and vanilla extract. Continue to mix everything carefully. Once well-blended together, pour the boiling jam into sterilized jars half a centimeter to the brim. Close jars and place them upside down on a flat surface. It will be necessary to let them cool overnight. Once properly sealed, the jam can be stored for up to a years’ time.
