Since making the Quince jam I've thought a lot about what jam I would like to create. Many combinations have bounced around my brain, knowing some of them will have to wait until Summer when the ingredients are at their peak. A while ago I attempted a Rhubarb jam based on a Donna Hay recipe, except, that I completely burnt the bottom of the pan and it took me a week of scrubbing and soaking to get it back to normal. So maybe the universe was trying to tell me something - get over the rhubarb fixation and move on, Freak! I put jam making on the....back burner as it were.
Until......
Apparently Stephenie Meyer had a dream about a vampire named Edward and a human called Bella, thus 'Twilight' was created and I remember reading somewhere that the melody to the song, 'Yesterday' came to Paul McCartney in a dream. Well, a little while ago I had a dream that I had another baby. As my Husband held her in the Hospital and I watched with that after-birth exhaustion he asked me, "What shall we call her?" I responded with, "Tessa". After teling my Husband that morning and laughing it off and thinking about if for the day it finally came to me that the Quince jam that I made belonged to a recipe by Tessa Kiros. Ok,Ok, so maybe the dream didn't mean anything but it made me start thinking about my next jam adventure and this is what I came up with.
ingredients
3 Tangellos (790g approx)
200g dried apricots (The best you can afford)
1.25 litres water
4 whole cloves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups white sugar
How to make your Tangello and clove marmalade
You will need to start this the night before. Wash your tangellos under hot water (leave the skin on)then cut in half and then cut thin slices from each half. Place in a very large plastic bowl. Chop up 200g apricots roughly and throw them in the bowl too along with 1.25 litres of water. Throw in 4 cloves, cover bowl with plastic and leave in a cool spot overnight.
The next day pull out the cloves and discard then pour the remaining mix into a large heavy based saucepan with the lemon juice. Bring to the boil. Once boilng, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 45minutes. Stir every now and then to make sure everything is ok. Once your 45minutes are up add your 6 cups sugar, stir and bring to the boil.Once boiling boil for approx 40 mins. Now, I can't stress enough you are going to have to watch over this delicious goo like a hawk otherwise you will be scrubbing and soaking that pot for a week! I ain't kidding. Once you've brought it back to the boil keep it boiling or at least a high simmer but you will definately need to lower the heat over the 40 mins otherwise it will cook too fast, thus making a lovely black mess in your pot. An easy guide is if the mix is bubbling up the saucepan the temperature is too high. Keep it so that you can see the fruit bubbling in the mix. By the end of the 40mins the heat should be on your lowest setting but the marmalade will still be simmering away and when you pop it on a plate - it should start to look like a gell or wrinkle when you push your finger through it. Turn off the heat and now you are ready to ladle into jars.
When you are up to the last 40 mins make sure you get your jars ready. Give them a good wash in the sink with hot and soapy water just before the 40 mins are up. Pop the lids to the jars in a saucepan filled with water that is on a rolling boil. Boil until ready to use. When the jam is ready, rinse your jars in hot water, place in the microwave, 1 at a time for 1 minute each. Take out of the microwave with gloves or a heavy t-towel and place next to the jam. Using a very clean spoon ladle contents into the jar, all the way to the top. Using tongs grab your lid and then carefully, without burning yourself, screw the lid tightly. When you have filled all your jars with your yummy contents grab your other big saucepan (or wash the one you just used) fill it with cold water, place your filled jars in the water making sure they are well covered and bring to the boil. Once boiling, boil for 20 mins. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the water. Check the lids on each bottle to ensure that a vaccuum has been created. Label jars and keep in a cool place for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!
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