Method

• Cut oranges and lemons into quarters. Remove the peel and as much white pith as you can, then slice peels into thin strips.
• Place peels into a large bowl, then squeeze the remaining fruits with your hands over a strainer to extract as much juice as possible. Add to the juice another 2 litres of water.
• Place leftover pulp and seeds into a muslin bag (cheese cloth). Tie the bag up and immerse it in the liquid. Leave overnight in the refrigerator in order to extract as much natural pectin as possible.
• The next day, transfer everything into a very large pot (at least twice the volume of its contents to prevent boiling over). If using, peel and cut ginger into very fine strips, then add ginger shreds in.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 60 minutes until the peels are soft and translucent and the liquid has boiled down by half.
• Remove the muslin bag and squeeze it to extract all the juice and pectin from it.
• Add sugar to the juice and peels and bring to a hard boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Skim off any white foam or pips that may float to the surface to ensure a clear finish.
• Boil until the mixture reaches a temperature of 105^oC/220^oF, about 15-20 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let it cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
• Ladle into sterilized jars. Chill to set and enjoy with toast anytime!