Pie filling layer: You can spread a layer of quince jam on the bottom of a pie crust before you add the pie filling to prevent the crust from becoming soggy and to add a surprise flavor to a fruit pie. 5. Sandwich spread: Switch up a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich by using quince jam instead of grape jelly.
How to use quinces / The quince index
One of the biggest issues I had with getting on with quince was not knowing what to do with them. Today I hope to provide you with an antidote to that concern: Welcome to the quince index! ALL THE QUINCE. MY DREAMS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED
Below, youll find a plethora of recipes, ideas and ways to use the quince, from pickles to jam, pies to stews, cakes to tartes. Some of these recipes are only available for KP+ (Click here to become a member!) Due to length restrictions and future searchability, I’ve made each recipe it’s own page which you can access after each intro.
There are a few universal rules: Be careful when removing the knobbly core, as these little lumps may come back to bite you later and save all peels and scraps to make Camilla’s scrap jelly! Don’t you throw them away! One of the simplest ways to incorporate a quince into your already familiar bakes is to add it grated or in thin slices to any recipe that calls for apples and pears. The quince will impart a fuller, more fragrant flavour into the whole mix and is a great way to begin your love affair.
Poaching quinces is one of the most impressive and enjoyable ways to enjoy the fruit, especially since it’s one of the best ways to watch the colour transformation from a creamy pale to a (sometimes) deep ruby red with dense but yielding flesh. This impressive colour change is all down to the tannins in the quince. Yes, tannins! The same you find in wine. As the tannins break down, a pigment called anthocyanin is formed and released. This compound is water soluble – it leaks into the water, and the quinces change shade as a result
Though I have my go-to poaching method (with my preferred ratio of 60g sugar per 100ml liquid) I wanted to test the boundaries of cooking quince. As I understand it, you need heat, acidity and sugar to get the best colour. But what is the limit of this? And what is the timeline of that transformation?
Sugar vs. No sugar
Cooked for the same length of time, the quince poached in lemon juice water vs. the quince poached in sugar syrup was barely coloured. My theory is that sugar, being highly hygroscopic, expedites the formation of anthocyanins – the sugar draws the water and compounds out of the quince and the process speeds up. The next day, I cooked another batch of quince in water with relatively high heat – an assertive simmer rather than a slow poach – and after 6 hours (with lots of topping up of water) and no acid, plus an overnight rest, I was finally able to achieve a darker red colour. Though it isn’t fully comparable to the sugar syrup version, it’s definitely pigmented. Comparing sugar less (Left, Middle) vs syrup cooked quinces
So what’s the answer? With enough time and heat, the quince will change colour. But you might need to overcook the fruit to achieve this. This is likely why quince in savoury braises (see Jordon’s recipe below) and in my quick-cook tatin tend to stay a pale colour, while jellies, jams and pastes, especially in large batches, tend to achieve darker ruby-like colours. The quince cooked in sugar syrup also tends to shrink slightly as it exchanges water with syrup.
The amount of sugar is really up to you and will depend on what you want to use the quinces for – edge toward a 1:1 sugar water ratio and you’re closer to candying, though a long lidless poach in the oven at a lower ratio will semi candy your quince as the water evaporates and the sugar concentrates. For use in crumbles, I’d suggest a lower sugar ratio, but for decorating cakes, you might want to get closer to that 1:1 ratio.
Acidity Testing acidity
Surprisingly, the quince poached in an acid-less syrup was… gorgeous? Red? Unaffected? Excuse me?! It had a better flavour, but looks-wise, it turns out all you really need is time. Quince, Im afraid, can’t be rushed.
While I’ve outlined my favourite no-effort poaching method here, you can also poach in the oven. Bring a sugar syrup, with your chosen concentration of sugar, to the boil with a little lemon juice and add in the peeled and cored quinces. Boil for 5 minutes then move into an oven at 120c fan and cook, covered for at least 4-5 hours.
If you want to semi candy the fruit, you can cook in the oven with just a little greaseproof paper on top (a cartouche) to help keep the fruit submerged, but allowing steam to escape. The water will reduce and the fruit will become plump with sugar syrup. In this case, you do need to be careful to turn the fruit occasionally to prevent any dried out spots.
Poached quince can be incorporated into a number of recipes as below, used for decoration on cakes or simply enjoyed with thick greek yoghurt, or on top of your morning porridge. It also works well into a crumble – nestled under your favourite crumble topping, it’s a glorious surprise to dig through buttery oats and find rubies.
The resulting poaching liquid can be used for lots of things – on the simple side, it makes a beautiful cordial base which you could make into autumnal cocktails. You could also set it into jelly with agar agar or powdered pectin, or make it into actual jellies – imagine a quince trifle! – with gelatin. I’ve reason to believe you could also make a sorbet or granita from it – i’ll update you on that soon.
The most traditional way to enjoy quince is in the form of preserves. From gorgeously pink transparent and wibbly jellies to the dense membrillo paste squished onto cheese, quince lends itself incredibly well to preserving. This is, in part, due to its incredibly high level of pectin meaning it sets like a dream with impressive dependability.
We also have quince to thank for Marmalade, or at least the name. The portuguese word for quince is ‘marmelo’ and, when it made its way to Britain in the 16th century, it was known as ‘marmelada’, a name which soon became ‘marmalade’. And for a few centuries here, marmalade meant a quince preserve, not citrus, though this distinction later became clear. This intriguing etymology explains why the word ‘mermelada’, ‘marmelada’ and ‘marmelatta’ in Spanish, Portugese and Italian respectively, refer to all jams, rather than just the citrus spread that we’re used to.
The recipes
WHAT A LINE UP: Shadies Taytas Jam (KP+ community recipe), Camilla Wynne Jelly and Jam!
I’m thrilled to have a selection of preserves for you to try your hand at here on Kitchen Projects, including the most gorgeous recipe and story from KP+ community recipes – shout out Shadie – along with two recipes from our resident preserver Camilla Wynne. Follow the links below for the recipes:
When I was researching quince pastes (also known as quince cheese) – and there are a lot of recipes out there – I was surprised at just how many steps there are. They also mostly used 1:1 sugar which, for me, is a bit too sweet. As well as this, most recipes ask you to boil quince in water then DITCH ALL THE WATER (???????) – why on earth would anyone ever suggest this?! A lot of pectin is infused into that water and casting it aside seems foolish if making a thick set jelly is the goal. quince paste! colour may vary!
In the recipe below, I’ve streamlined the process and this one-pot method is VERY satisfying. Anything without extra dishes, I’m on board.
We use it to glaze ham, stir it into sauces, and serve it up with cheeses. It’s somewhat ironic then that we make it so rarely, as we don’t often get our hands on the fruit. I know they’re readily available, but for some reason, never at the places where we shop.
We now have thirteen jars of not overly sweet, fruit-driven jelly, which we’ve stashed in the pantry to keep us going for the next couple of years. The jars were hot water processed, and even though the recommended keeping time for preserves such as these is only a year, we’ve found that our jellies last much longer than that (if unopened) before they start to lose their set.
It’s been years since we last made this jelly, and in that time Pete has refined his jam making process. He now tries to use as little sugar as possible, arguing that too much of it masks the true fruit flavour. So despite having a tried and tested recipe (posted here), he decided to alter the quantities in this batch.
Of course, the jelly didn’t set easily, because the balance wasn’t quite right. We added an extra jar of pectin and the juice of another lemon, and boiled the pot vigorously for ages. It’s in situations like this that experience really comes into play – most people would have given up at this point, but Pete was certain the jelly would finally come together.
How to Make Quince Jelly & Quince Paste
FAQ
What goes well with quince jelly?
How does quince jelly taste?
What is quince used for in cooking?
What does quince do to your body?
What is quince jelly used for?
Quince jelly is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes. It can be spread on toast or used as a glaze for meats. It is also a popular accompaniment to cheese. Jelly making is a fun and rewarding activity that can result in a delicious spread for toast, scones, and other baked goods.
How to make quince jam jelly?
To make quince jam jelly, one needs to extract the juice from a fruit, add sugar, and simmer the mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. Here are some basics of jelly making: The main ingredients in jelly making are fruit juice, sugar, and water. The amount of sugar needed depends on the sweetness of the fruit and personal preference.
What does quince jelly taste like?
The raw fruit is very astringent and tart with a waxy skin. But once you cook quince, its flavor is tamed and the fruit becomes soft. It is slightly sweet with a flavor somewhere between and apple and a pear with floral notes. If you’re wondering how to use quince jelly now that you’ve got a stash of it, don’t fret!
Is quince jelly good for jam & jellies?
Quince’s high pectin content makes it ideal for jams and jellies, and quince jelly is a time-honored ingredient in some amazing recipes, especially special-occasion dishes like our Glazed Spatchcocked Chicken.