Mmm,marmalade!!!

Another year another challenge. What to do with a glut of lemons? How can I find yet another new and innovative way with them? There is only a certain amount of curd and jam that one can store and consume. But I have an idea up my sleeve,it´s easy peasy and ohhhh so tasty too...Mmm,marmalade -but with a twist, Lemon carrot marmalade.I like a marmalade with a bit of oomph, and this strange sounding tart-sweet marmalade has just that,candied fragments of tart lemon and sweet carrot ignited with hot ginger.This will find our guests with taste buds begging for more.Breakfast rises to  a special occasion when I bring out this glossy marmalade.I myself have been known to spread it on a buttery teacake or scone for a lively afternoon nibble.
The lemon makes it a little more subtle and you don't actually taste the carrots; they just mellow it. All in all, if you like marmalade you should give it a try. It's not hard to make.Carrots add a new dimension of flavour to an all too familiar marmalade,not to mention giving it a vibrancy.Here are carrots out and proud.There´s nowt as queer as taste- a fancy marmalade created from a few inexpensive ingredients.

Lemon Carrot Marmalade 
makes 3 x 450g jars

1 pound 450g sweet carrots

2 medium lemons

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons candied ginger, finely chopped

4 cups bottled natural spring water

Peel the carrots and grate them on the large side of a four-sided grater.place carrots in a heavy non-reactive pan large enough to hold all the ingredients comfortably.
Seed and juice the lemons.Discard the pips and set aside the juice.Finely chop the remaining entire rind.Add to the pan along with the sugar,ginger, lemon juice and water.Stir to mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Cook at a simmer and stir occasionally until the mixture begins to thicken.Lower the heat and stir frequently until the juices are thick and the marmalade is glossy.
Total cooking time is about 1 hour

Transfer to jars and allow to cool.seal the lids of the jars tightly and refrigerate. Keeps for up to 1 month kept refrigerated. Marmalade and jams continue to thicken as they cool.About two thirds of the way through the cooking,spread a small spoonful of the marmalade on a saucer and put it in the freezer for a few seconds,just until it cools, to check the consistency.The Marmalade is ready when it lightly wrinkles as you move your finger through it