4 delicious ideas to take advantage of quinces

There are many ways to process quince. Here you will find inspiration to prepare this fruit in various ways, either as quince jam, syrup or compote.

The quinces are by appearance and taste a kind of cross between an apple and a pear. It is a pome fruit that has almost been forgotten, unfortunately, because not only is it healthy, but it can also be prepared in many ways.

In our country they are in season from the end of September to December. After harvesting, they can be stored in a cool place for up to eight weeks.

To consume it, it is necessary to cook quince, because raw is rough and bitter. You can process it in many ways and thus preserve the fruits beyond autumn and winter.

1. QUINCE COMPOTE

You can process quinces into a delicious compote that combines well with all kinds of desserts, for example, waffles or ice cream. The basic quince compote recipe only calls for three ingredients: quince, water and sugar, but you can vary it to taste. Quince compote can be kept in jars for a long time.

Ingredients (for 2 jars):

• 1 kg quinces
• 500 ml water
• 250 grams of sugar

Elaboration:

1. Rub the quinces well with a cloth to remove white lint from the skin that contains bitter substances.
2. Peel the quinces, cut them into eighths and remove the shell.
3. Boil the water with the sugar (and any other ingredients, see below).
4. Add the quinces to the broth and let everything simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, rinse the canning jars in hot water to sterilize them.
6. Now first put the quince pieces without the broth in the canning jars. Leave some space around the edge.
7. Boil the broth again and fill the jars with the hot broth to the brim.
8. Clean the edge and seal the jars.

Quince compote will keep for about a year in a cool, dark place.

You can easily vary this basic recipe with additional ingredients:

• Add four tablespoons of ginger powder to the infusion. Alternatively, you can try a mixture of ginger and cinnamon powder or cinnamon stick.
• Cook a vanilla pod in the quince compote, or replace some of the sugar with the corresponding amount of vanilla sugar.
• You can replace all or part of the water with apple juice or another juice of your choice. Pomegranate juice gives quince compote a beautiful reddish color. If necessary, you can reduce the amount of sugar a little by adding juice.
• Add four tablespoons of lemon juice and a little zest of an organic lemon to give your quince compote a fresher touch.

2. QUINCE SYRUP

Quince syrup can be used to prepare refreshing drinks and refine desserts. Try quince syrup as a dressing for ice cream or Christmas cookies, for example.

To turn quinces into syrup, you only need a few ingredients. However, this requires a few more steps than quince compote. After you have cooked the quinces, you must first pass the dough through a sieve or strainer before you can boil it again and then bottle it.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg ripe quinces
• 1 liter of water
• 250 g whole cane sugar
• Juice of 1 organic lemon

If you wish, you can round off the taste of quince syrup with one or more of the following ingredients:

• 2-3 pieces star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 vanilla pod
• 1 small piece of ginger

You’ll also need the following items:

• 2 pots (or 1 pot and 1 bowl)
• Cotton fabric or strainer for casting
• Sterilized bottles to fill

Plan about an hour for the preparation of quince syrup:

Elaboration:

• Wash the quinces thoroughly, then rub the fruit fluff with a cotton cloth.
• Cut the quince into quarters and remove the bone. Then cut the fruit into small cubes (you don’t need to peel the quinces to make the syrup). In this way, you avoid food waste and preserve the valuable nutrients found inside and just below the shell. You can also cook the seeds, but the syrup will be gelatinous due to the pectin it contains.
• Put the quinces in a saucepan with the water and bring to a boil.
• Let them simmer in the water until they are very soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you can sterilize the bottles if you haven’t already.
• Now put the cooked quince syrup mixture on a large cotton cloth or a fine-mesh strainer. Squeeze the quince pieces and collect the juice in a clean saucepan.
• Add sugar, lemon juice and any other optional ingredients to the juice.
• Boil the quince syrup and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Pour the hot quince syrup directly into the clean bottles, close them immediately and let them cool completely.
• Store quince syrup in a cool, dark place, such as in the refrigerator or pantry.

Unopened, quince syrup will keep for several months. Once opened, you need to refrigerate the bottle and use it in a few days.

3. QUINCE JUICE

You can enjoy pure quince juice, add water to it, or use it as a base for a Christmas punch. If you want to turn the quinces into juice, the pulp will remain after straining the cooked quince mass.

But you don’t have to throw away this fruit puree. You can use it more and process it into quince jelly, for example. In this way you avoid unnecessary food waste. Quince juice will remain in good condition for a year.

Ingredients (for 3 bottles of juice):

• 3 quinces
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 liters of water
• Juice of a lemon
• 750 g sugar

During the preparation should not miss the following kitchen utensils:

• Pot
• Kitchen knife
• Glass bottles
• If you make quince juice, you should plan about an hour for full working time. The quinces should be cooked for a while before they fall apart.

Elaboration:

1. Clean the quinces well.
2. Rub the lint from the skin; This will prevent the juice from having a bitter taste.
3. Then discourage the quinces and cut them into quarters.
4. Cut the quarters again into smaller slices.
5. Cut the vanilla pod and scrape the pulp.
6. Fill a saucepan with water and add the quinces. Make sure they are completely covered by water.
7. Add the vanilla pod and scraped vanilla seeds.
8. Finally add the lemon juice to the water.
9. Let the quinces simmer until they begin to decompose, about 30 to 40 minutes.
10. Line a strainer with a tea towel.
11. Pour the quince juice through a strainer and collect the pulp of the fruit.
12. Then boil the quince juice drained again with the sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
13. Pour hot quince juice into glass bottles.

If you store your quince juice in a cool, dark place, it can be kept for up to a year.

4. SUGAR-FREE QUINCE FUDGE

Especially at Christmas, the fruit is often used to make quince candy, but fruit jelly is also a delicious delicacy during the rest of the year. If you want to do without white industrial sugar, you can also prepare quince candy with honey. But you have to be patient, because after the preparation, the sweet has to dry for a few days.

Ingredients (for a baking sheet):

• 1.5 kg quinces
• 250 ml honey
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Water

Elaboration:

1. Wash, peel the quinces and cut them into large pieces.
2. Place them in a large saucepan, cover with water and cook until tender, at least 30 minutes.
3. Strain excess juice; You can use it to make jelly.
4. Mix well until you can no longer see any pieces.
5. Squeeze the lemon juice and add it to the quince puree. Add the honey and cinnamon to the pot and stir well.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for half an hour. As soon as the dough is viscous you can put it on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and smooth it.

Leave the tray at room temperature for a few days to dry the quince jam. Turn it over after a few days. As soon as it easily detaches from the baking sheet, it will be ready and you can cut it into pieces and enjoy it.