ORANGE MERMELADE with cinnamon

More christmas gifts...

INGREDIENTS

- 1kg oranges
- 1750 ml water
- 1,5 kg sugar
- Cinnamon or chocolate chips

PROCEDURE

- Cut the oranges in slices of 1 cm and place them in a big bowl.Cover them with water and let it rest overnight.

- Put the oranges and the water you used in a pan and allow it to boil for 50 - 60 min  at low heat (or until the zest is soft).

- Add the sugar and increase the heat . The mixture will boil and it  should reach a temperature of 105 ºC (Use a termometre for liquids)

- You will notice that some froth appears on the surface. These are impurities of the oranges and  the sugar. Remove it with the help of a spoon.

- Remove the pan from the heat and add a couple of cinnamon sticks to aromatize the mermelade.

-Now take some water from the mixture and reserve it. Blend the oranges leaving  some slices without blend. Add some water (from the one you kept) until you get the desired thickness and blend again.  Pour the mermelade  into jars and allow it to cool at room temperature.

- Another version is to add some chocolate chips to the jars. The contrast is delicious!Enjoy!

LEMON CURD

This year I made some lemon curd and mermelade as a christmas gift. Very easy an so tasty!!

INGREDIENTS (It makes 1 litre)

- 6 lemons(zest and juice)
- 120g butter
- 450g sugar
- 4 eggs

PROCEDURE

- Zest the 6 lemons and afterwards juice them.

-Break the eggs into a bowl and beat. Keep it for later.

- In a thick pan (over a medium heat), put the zest and the juice of the 6 lemons. Add the butter and once melted add the sugar.Stir frequently to mix the ingredients and to dissolve the sugar.

- Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs little by little while whisking energically after each addition (otherwise you will get an omelette into the pan)

- Once both mixtures have been fully incorporated return the pan to the heat and stir as the lemon curd heats over a medium heat.

- After 5 minuts the mixture will start to boil and you will notice that it is getting thicker. Let it bubble for another four minutes. Your lemon curd is now ready !

-  Boil some jars to sterilize them and  pour the lemon curd in. Close the jars and put them upside down on a cold surface. Allow to cool at room temperature before storing in the fridge. It will make an airtigh bottling.

Lemon curd lasts up to three month and taste deliciuos with bread or as a filling for cakes.