I'm about to try out a marmalade recipe which calls for 4 grapefruit
and 2 lemons. I'd like to cut the recipe in half, but there is a
parenthetic expression next to the "2 lemons".... is says "(for extra
pectin)".

Can I simply cut the recipe in half, or do I need the two lemons for
the pectin? - Mike

Cut it in half Mike, won't hurt a thing. The way I make marmalade, and
I'm sure others do the same, is cooking it down to the proper
temperature and/or using the cold plate or spoon method to check for
consistency. You want it stiff enough to stay on the toast, biscuit, or
muffin but not so stiff that it's leathery. Using the peel of the
grapefruit and the lemons should give you enough pectin for it to gel.
At least that has been my experience.

I learned eons ago to crush the pips (seeds), put them in a cheesecloth
bag, and cook them down with the fruit and peel. The theory is that they
add extra pectin. There have been some disputes on here as to the
validity of that theory but it works for me. YMMV

George

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> I'm about to try out a marmalade recipe which calls for 4 grapefruit
> and 2 lemons. I'd like to cut the recipe in half, but there is a
> parenthetic expression next to the "2 lemons".... is says "(for extra
> pectin)".
>
> Can I simply cut the recipe in half, or do I need the two lemons for
> the pectin? - Mike
>

Good morning George -

The cold plate method would be placing a plate in the freezer
untill chilled. dropping some of the mix on the platter and seeing if
it skims over, correct?

The temperature method is based on "if it has a lot of water in it,
it can't get above 212*, but get rid of the water and you can get to
220*; At 220* the mixture will gell", correct?

Finally - the archives describe a simple test for the presence of
pectin. Is it safe to assume that if one took a sample and found it
lacking, you could add commercial pectin, stir and retest until you
got favorable results? - Mike

PS - You don't happen to have a brother named Doug do you?


George Shirley > wrote:

>Cut it in half Mike, won't hurt a thing. The way I make marmalade, and
>I'm sure others do the same, is cooking it down to the proper
>temperature and/or using the cold plate or spoon method to check for
>consistency.

My wife has been eating Clemintines by the box.
Any value in asking her to save the pips, let them air dry and use
several at a time as you've described?- MIke


George Shirley > wrote:

>
>I learned eons ago to crush the pips (seeds), put them in a cheesecloth
>bag, and cook them down with the fruit and peel. The theory is that they
>add extra pectin. There have been some disputes on here as to the
>validity of that theory but it works for me. YMMV
>
>George
>

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 05:09:49 -0500, Michael Horowitz
> wrote:

> The cold plate method would be placing a plate in the freezer
>untill chilled. dropping some of the mix on the platter and seeing if
>it skims over, correct?

Don't need a freezer today, Mike -- just put that plate outside for a
couple of minutes! (And chill it again briefly after dribbling on the
jam before checking for skin.)

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> Good morning George -
>
> The cold plate method would be placing a plate in the freezer
> untill chilled. dropping some of the mix on the platter and seeing if
> it skims over, correct?

Yup.

> The temperature method is based on "if it has a lot of water in it,
> it can't get above 212*, but get rid of the water and you can get to
> 220*; At 220* the mixture will gell", correct?

I usually shoot for 222, pretty sure it will gel at that temp and much
higher and you get leather. The 222 comes from a book I have on
preserving, one of those pretty coffee table things that my sis gave me
several years ago. Pretty flashy but has some sound advice and some
excellent recipes in it. The 222 works for me 99% of the time, the other
times it's by guess and by gosh.

> Finally - the archives describe a simple test for the presence of
> pectin. Is it safe to assume that if one took a sample and found it
> lacking, you could add commercial pectin, stir and retest until you
> got favorable results? - Mike

Yes, you probably could but! I have never added pectin to a marmalade
yet or needed it. Citrus fruit generally has enough pectin to do the job
if you cook it long enough. I don't get in a hurry when I'm making
marmalade, which I will be tomorrow. Tomorrow I will be making kumquat
marmalade and figure it will take at least a couple of hours prep time
and maybe that long to cook it and can it.

> PS - You don't happen to have a brother named Doug do you?
>

Nope, no brothers at all. Shirley is a fairly common name in the US,
I've found some about everywhere I've gone. Some are kin, some aren't,
thank goodness. What's the old saying: "You can choose your friends but
you can't choose your relatives." I have way too many cousins. <VBG>
> George Shirley > wrote:
>
>
>>Cut it in half Mike, won't hurt a thing. The way I make marmalade, and
>>I'm sure others do the same, is cooking it down to the proper
>>temperature and/or using the cold plate or spoon method to check for
>>consistency.

I've never let them dry out as I use the fresh pips from the citrus
fruit I'm making into marmalade. Don't know if it would work or not.
It's not scientifically proved to my knowledge, it just seems to work.
Does that make sense?

George

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> My wife has been eating Clemintines by the box.
> Any value in asking her to save the pips, let them air dry and use
> several at a time as you've described?- MIke
>
>
> George Shirley > wrote:
>
>
>>I learned eons ago to crush the pips (seeds), put them in a cheesecloth
>>bag, and cook them down with the fruit and peel. The theory is that they
>>add extra pectin. There have been some disputes on here as to the
>>validity of that theory but it works for me. YMMV
>>
>>George
>>
>
>