Recipe based on one from Ruth (Katrina’s mum), which was adapted from a Prue Sobers recipe
Orange prep (or can be a mix eg orange/cumquat/lemon):
- Peel rind with veg peeler, slice into thin slivers, put into big saucepan
- Roughly remove pith from oranges with knife, reserve in a separate bowl (discard top & bottom of oranges)
- Roughly chop orange flesh, add to saucepan with rind
- Take a large handful of pith, bundle it in muslin & tie with string, add to saucepan (not sure if this is necessary??)
- Juice an extra few oranges, add juice to saucepan
Boil
- Add water to cover the orangey bits in the saucepan, bring to the boil
- Simmer until the rind is soft enough to squash to mush between your fingers
- You may need to add more water
- When it’s soft and smooshy enough, measure the volume of the softened fruit & liquid, then return to the pot
Add sweeteners & setting agent
- 5 cups softened fruit & liquid
- 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon stevia (or to taste – may need more if you’re using lemons/cumquats etc. Could also use apple juice or apple juice concentrate.)
- 1.5 tablespoons arrowroot (mix into a little water or cooled liquid from pot)
- 2 teaspoons agar agar (mix into a little water or cooled liquid from pot)
Finish cooking
- Return mixture to heat, boil 10-15 mins to cook the agar-agar
- You can’t tell at this stage how firm it’s going to be, but you can adjust for sweetness (don’t burn your tongue!)
Store
- Put into sterilised jars, store in fridge to use in the next few weeks or freezer friendly containers to store longer