Wash and pat dry all the oranges. Using a peeler, remove the orange zest leaving behind the white colored pith.
Chop the zest into thin strips and set aside.
Cut the ends of each orange and remove all the pith from it. Then cut the flesh alone and collect it with all the juices in a bowl. Also, collect the membrane and seeds and tie it in a muslin cloth.
To a pan, add the zest, the flesh along with the juices, water and sugar. Let it cook on low heat. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a boil and add the muslin bag to it. Let the marmalade cook until it reaches 220 F and let it cook for 5 minutes in the same temperature.
Take the marmalade off the heat, remove the muslin bag and let it cool down. Store in sterilized jars. Serve marmalade on breads or croissants.
Notes
While cutting the orange zest, make sure the pith (white inner part) is not included. This pith will lend a very bitter taste to the orange.
Chop the zest into thin strips to make sure the marmalade is in a spreadable consistency.
The membranes and the seeds act as natural pectin and helps to thicken the marmalade.
Do not reduce the amount of sugar used. This amount will also affect the consistency of the marmalade.
When the sugar dissolves completely, stop stirring the mixture.
Bring the marmalade to 220 F. This will also affect the consistency.
If your marmalade has not set even after 48 hours, then bring it to the above mentioned temperature and cook for further 5 minutes. Also, try adding some sugar if you have altered the amount.
Always store the marmalade in sterilized, moisture free jars. They remain good at room temperature for a month.