Quince Paste
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Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
148 | Calories |
0g | Fat |
38g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 24 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 148 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 0g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 1mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 38g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Protein 0g | |
Calcium 1mg | 0% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Quince paste, called membrillo in Spain, is a tangy-sweet fruit preserve. It is fantastic served with cheese (manchego cheese is traditional), but also makes an excellent breakfast spread.
There are two ways to make quince paste; one starts from scratch and the other uses the quince mash leftover from making quince jelly. They both yield the same tasty result.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds quinces (about 4 large fruits)
- 2 pounds granulated sugar
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Wash and peel the quinces, reserving the peels. Core the quinces, adding the cores to the reserved peels. Chop the remaining quince into approximately 2-inch chunks.
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Tie the peels and cores up in cheesecloth or in a clean muslin bag.
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Put the chunks of quince and the bundle of peels and cores into a large pot. Add water to cover by approximately 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the quince chunks are mushy-soft.
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Remove and discard the bundle of peels and cores. Strain the remaining cooked quince through a very fine-meshed strainer or a double layer of cheesecloth set in a colander (you can use the liquid that strains out to make quince jelly). Leave the quince to strain for 2 hours.
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Puree the strained quince mash in a food processor or run through a food mill.
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Weigh or measure the puree then put it in a large pot. Add an equal amount by weight or volume of granulated sugar.
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Cook over low heat until very thick, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Stir constantly at first to dissolve the sugar, frequently after that. When it is done the quince paste will stick to a wooden spoon, and if you drag the spoon over the bottom of the pot it will leave a trail that does not fill in immediately with the quince. Be careful at the end of the cooking time to stir often and not let it burn.
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Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish. Spread the quince paste in the dish smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. It should be about 1 1/2-inches thick. Let the paste cool in the baking dish.
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Dry the paste in your oven at the lowest setting, not higher than 125 F / 52 C. If your oven doesn't go this low, use the lowest setting and prop the door open with a dishtowel or the handle of a wooden spoon.
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Alternatively, remove all but the bottom tray from your food dehydrator. Place the baking dish of quince paste on the bottom tray and set the temperature to 125 F / 52 C.
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Dry the quince paste for 8 hours or overnight. The surface should be glossy and not sticky to the touch. Put the baking dish of quince paste into the refrigerator for 4 hours.
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Run a knife around the edges of the paste. Invert the quince paste onto a plate. Slice as desired. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Tip
You can also make quince paste using the leftover mash from making quince jelly:
- After making quince jelly, you'll have a bunch of strained quince mash with the peels included. Run this through a food mill to remove the peels.
- Skip boiling, straining, and pureeing in the recipe.
- Add the puree and sugar to a large pot and proceed with the recipe as written.
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