Quince is a little known fruit, similar in appearance to that of an apple or a pear. It is a good source of Vitamin A and C, however it has an extremely sour taste. When cooked or combined with other types of fruit, however, it becomes very palatable and can be added to various dishes.
Ingrediants
Boiled Quinces
- 1, 5 kg of quince
- 100 g of sugar
- 60 ml of honey
Quince
- 1, 5 kg of quince
- 1 kg of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)
Inverted Quince Pie
- 3 medium to large fresh quinces
- 1 bottle (750 ml) of dry white wine
- 700 g of granulated sugar
- 2 fresh orange peels 8 cm long
- 250 g of flour
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of table salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- A pinch of ground cloves
- 50 g of almond flour
- 150 g of softened butter
- 140 g of dark muscovado sugar
- 120 ml of honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Boil the Quinces
Step 1. Peel the quince with a vegetable peeler
The yellow skin of quince apples has a fibrous and waxy texture, similar to that of harder apples. Using a classic vegetable peeler helps to remove it easily.
When you use the vegetable peeler, the peel should always be removed in the opposite direction to that of the body, so as to avoid cutting yourself if the tool wobbles
Step 2. Cut the quince into quarters using a chef's knife
Use a sharp knife to cross the core, as this is the hardest and most woody part of the fruit. Make sure the cutting board is snug on the counter or table so it doesn't slip off when cutting.
- First cut the apples in half, then in quarters.
- Quinces can be difficult to cut due to their spongy and porous texture, so you should always grip the handle of the knife firmly.
Step 3. Remove the core and seeds
The inner part of the quince is similar to that of a normal apple and the seeds are concentrated in the core. Cut it with the chef's knife.
- Quince seeds are poisonous to human consumption, so be sure to remove all of them before proceeding.
- Cut out any dark or cracked areas with a kitchen knife.
Step 4. Prepare the liquid for boiling using water, sugar and honey
Take a large saucepan and fill it with 1 liter of water, 100 g of sugar and 60 ml of honey. Simmer the mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add flavors such as anise or vanilla to enrich the taste of the quince
Step 5. Put the quince in the pot and bring to a boil
When it's time to add the fruit, bring the liquid to a boil before turning the heat down and letting it simmer. Place a lid on the pot to trap any liquid that could evaporate.
Step 6. Let the quinces simmer for 50 minutes, until they are pinkish
During cooking, the color of the fruit will vary and it will turn from yellowish to pink. At this point the apples should have softened and the liquid will have taken on a consistency similar to that of a syrup.
Step 7. Serve the quinces on their own after cooking
Drain the boiling liquid and serve hot. The sour taste of the fruit will be balanced by the sweet taste of the liquid.
- If you want to serve them later, you can keep them in the fridge with the liquid for up to 1 week.
- Pair them with a mild-flavored cheese or put them in a salad along with a handful of almonds to accentuate the flavor.
Method 2 of 3: Prepare the Quince
Step 1. Peel and cut the quince into quarters
Use a vegetable peeler to completely remove the peel from the quince. Cut them in half and then into quarters with a chef's knife.
Make sure you remove the core and seeds from the fruit
Step 2. Take a large pot and pour water into it until it is 2/3 full
Put the quince in it and bring to a boil. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Put a lid on the pot so that only a small amount of liquid evaporates.
To make sure that the quinces remain totally submerged in the water during boiling, place a saucer inside the liquid to keep them still
Step 3. Drain the water and put the quinces in a food processor for 1-2 minutes
Remove the boiled apples from the pot and mash them with a food processor until you have a very homogeneous puree. The procedure should take approximately 2 minutes.
Step 4. Return the puree to the pot, then add the sugar and lemon juice
Stir the sugar and lemon juice with a wooden or plastic spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once it has started to boil, set the heat to low and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
During this time the paste will thicken and undergo a color variation, becoming orange or pink
Step 5. Preheat the oven to 65 ° C
Make sure you place the rack in the center of the oven to make the quince so it cooks evenly on all sides.
Step 6. Pour the pasta into a pan and cook for 1 ½ hours
Place the mixture in a 20 x 20 cm baking sheet lined with a sheet of wax paper. Smooth it over the surface with the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula. Put the quince in the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours.
Step 7. Allow the quince to cool completely and serve
Cut it into squares for the purpose of placing it on crackers, biscuits or slices of cheese.
Quince can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months using an airtight container
Method 3 of 3: Make the Inverted Quince Pie
Step 1. Boil the quince in a mixture of white wine, sugar and orange peel
Cut the quinces into quarters and place them in a saucepan with white wine and orange peel. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer the apples for 50-60 minutes. Cook them until soft and pink. Keep them in the fridge overnight leaving them in the liquid.
Make sure you completely immerse the quince in the boiling liquid
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C
Place one of the racks in the center of the oven and let it heat up. Putting the grid in the center helps to cook the cake evenly.
Step 3. Slice the quinces and use them to line the base of the pan
Take the boiled apples and cut them trying to obtain slices about 3 mm thick. Grease the surface of the pan with non-stick cooking spray before placing fruit inside. Layer the slices by creating concentric circles until they completely cover the bottom of the pan. This will become the top of the cake.
Keep the syrup from the boil, as you can pour it on the cake after cooking
Step 4. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl
Sift the flour and beat it with the other dry ingredients, except the muscovado sugar. Once you have mixed them evenly, set them aside to use them later.
Step 5. Mix the wet ingredients with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes
Set the mixer on medium speed to blend the muscovado sugar, butter, vanilla extract and honey until smooth and creamy.
Add one egg at a time, making sure to regularly scoop up the remaining mixture on the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, to incorporate it and obtain a homogeneous mixture
Step 6. Add the dry ingredients by beating the dough on the lowest speed
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, so that the dough has plenty of time to form.
Once you have added all the dry ingredients, set the hand mixer to medium speed and mix until smooth
Step 7. Pour the dough into the pan
Spread it up to the sides of the pan using a rubber spatula. Smooth the surface of the cake to flatten it.
Step 8. Bake the cake for 40 minutes
Let it brown evenly. Bake it until the baking tester comes out clean or until the cake bounces when you touch it with your finger.
Turn the cake 180 ° C after 20 minutes, so that it cooks on both sides
Step 9. Let it cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes without removing it from the pan
While the cake is still hot, run a knife around the edges and turn it over onto the cooling rack. Let it cool completely.
Step 10. Serve the cake with whipped cream
Squeeze a knob of whipped cream onto a slice of cake and pour a drizzle of the syrup left over from boiling to make it sweeter.
Warnings
- The seeds of quince apples are poisonous to humans and must be removed before consumption.
- Although raw quinces are edible, they can irritate the throat and cause breathing difficulties.
