Prickly Pear Marmalade

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups oranges, chopped and seeded
• 1 cup lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups prickly pears, chopped and seeded
• 6 cups sugar

Recipe

• 1 do not peel your oranges or lemons. (small chop on oranges).
• 2 do wash them well to remove any wax and pesticides.
• 3 in a large stainless steel saucepan combine the oranges, lemons and water.
• 4 bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium high and gently boil for 5 minutes.
• 5 remove from heat, cover and place in a cool spot for 12 to 18 hours.
• 6 when ready prepare canner, jars and lids.
• 7 bring orange mixture to a boil over medium heat.
• 8 boil, stirring frequently until peel is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• 9 stir in prickly pears, return to a gentle boil.
• 10 maintaining boil gradually stir in the sugar.
• 11 boil hard, stirring often until mixture reaches gel stage, around 30 minutes.
• 12 remove from heat and test gel.
• 13 if gel stage has been reached skim off foam and ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• 14 remove air bubbles, wipe rim, center lid and screw band down to fingertip tight.
• 15 place in canner-repeat with remaining jars.
• 16 process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
• 17 turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars stand in canner an additional 5 minutes.
• 18 remove jars, cool and store.