Orange Jam, or Ok, it's mostly marmalade

Orange Jam (marmalade to purists)

I don't like marmalade but I do like jam. There's a big discussion happening between my mother and I about what exactly constitutes a jam versus a marmalade. I like jam and so I made some. Some people will assume this is marmalade but it's mine, so it's jam.

ORANGE JAM A'LA ME!

I had exactly one orange, 3/4 cup of sugar, a lemon slice, a pinch of salt and some water so this is what I made because I wanted something for my currant scones that was more than butter and less than strawberry jam.

Zest the orange and put it in your Ninja blender! Add about 3/4 cup (more or less to taste) of sugar and whirrrr it around.
  


  
Peel the orange and cut the segments into the processor
  
Squeeze all that juice out!
  
Add a little water, whirr it around and pour it into a saucepan
  
BOIL like crazy until it's thick and jam like!  About 8-10 minutes.  *OOPS, add a squirt of fresh lemon
  
BOIL BOIL BOIL 

After a bit of boiling, when it looks thick, get your little glass ramekin (or little plate or bottom of a jar or a heatproof glass) and put a little of the molten orange liquid on the back of it.  

Pop it in the fridge for a minute and see if it's thick enough for you. 

  
When it's cooled down a bit, do the wrinkle test, push your thumb through it, if it wrinkles, it's jam!
  
Another test is that it leaves a trail when you pull a spatula through it, just briefly

Ok, pop it into two little jars, leave it to cool to room temperature, throw lids on and lookie lookie, you have orange jam... ok ok you really have marmalade but we've already discussed that.

 
I think is the perfect amount to make at a time...
 

Ok, off you go and make some jam, make some marmalade.  Coat your toast and bread and scones and baked goods in your own, homemade, yummy fruity goodness, all natural, no pectin and totally completely yummy! 

Enjoy! 

/Tracy

Lemon curd (and mini tart shells)

I used to have a ton of recipes for lemon curd.  Double boilers and fretting about over cooking or separating.  Those days are long long gone.

Enter my easiest most delicious lemon curd ever.  Don't blink, this is the easiest lemon curd you will ever, ever, make.

When it's chilled, fill tart shells, put it in crepes, cakes, on toast!  Spread it on crumpets, scones or biscuits.  Use it anywhere you'd use jam or jelly.  Leave it covered in the fridge and eat it with your finger.

In a medium saucepan, combine:

1 egg plus 2 whites.  (I break 3 eggs into the pan and carefully remove 2 yolks but do it however you get there!)
3/4 + 2 teaspoons cup sugar (yes, I'm this persnickety)
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2/3 cup lemon juice (I cheat and use half fresh and half jarred!)
1 Tablespoon butter
pinch of salt

Whisk it together and fret that it looks broken and curdled.  I'll wait. When you're over how horrifying it looks, smile and let's continue :)

Ok, now put it on medium low heat and stand at the stove with it and whisk it slowly and gently and constantly.  Do not answer the door, the phone (unless you're going to stand there) or do anything else except watch the curdled mess turn slowly into a pale beautiful thick curd.  It takes about 6 minutes.  Don't let it boil, obviously, you'll have a disgusting mess.  If you think it's getting too hot, slide it off heat for a moment, keep whisking then slide it back onto the heat. I dare you to tell me you don't have 6 spare minutes to make the best lemon curd, E.V.E.R.

Cook it until it's thick and beautiful and the consistency of thick moisturizer!  It should leave a line on the back of a wooden spoon.  I use the "can I see the whisk marks on the bottom of the pan" test, that's when I take it off heat.

Strain the mixture into a beautiful glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, right down on the surface of the curd or a yukky skin will form and you'll lose some of it, we cannot have THAT!

Push it to the back of the counter for a while then put it in the fridge to chill and thicken and set up.

I wasn't going to share my recipe but guilt got the better of me.

 The next day...enjoy!!

I'll post play by play pictures but for the moment... here:



I made mini tart shells (recipe follows) and when they were cooled added a mini spoonful of the curd and a teaspoon of unsweetened whipped cream.

Best treat ever!

MINI TART SHELL RECIPE

3 ounces of softened cream cheese (there's hash marks on the cream cheese :))
1/2 cup room temperature butter

Combine with a fork until smooth and cohesive.

ADD 1 cup all purpose flour and a pinch of salt.

Mix gently until a dough forms, shove it in the fridge for about 10 mins.

Divide into 24 balls and press into mini tart shell tin. Fork the bottoms to reduce puffing.

Bake 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Remove from pan immediately and put on rack to cool.

When cool, fill with ANYTHING!

/enjoy...