Quince Jelly And Paste Recipes

QUINCE JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize 8 (1/2 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes, and have new lids ready.
• Place the quinces in a large pot, and pour in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain off 4 cups of the juice. Mix juice with sugar and lemon juice in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, and return to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars, and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath to seal. Refrigerate jelly after opening.
• Store sealed jars in a cool dark place. Refrigerate jelly after opening.

QUINCE & ROSEWATER JELLY AND QUINCE PASTE

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE JELLY:Put the quinces and lemon zest and juice in a large heavy-based pan. Add enough water to cover the fruit. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hr until the quinces are very tender. Strain through a jelly bag or muslin-lined colander. Do not press out the juice - just leave it for at least 4 hrs, or ideally overnight, until the juice has dripped through.
• Put 3 saucers in the freezer. Measure the juice and return it to the pan (reserve the leftover fruit for the paste). For each 1 litre juice, add 750g sugar (or for each 100ml juice, add 75g sugar). Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then boil hard until set. This could take between 5 and 20 mins. To test for set, spoon a little onto a chilled saucer, leave for 1 min, then push your finger through the juice. If it wrinkles, the jelly is set. If not, return to the heat and boil again for a few mins, then test again.
• Remove from the heat and skim off any surface scum with a slotted spoon. Stir in the butter to dissolve any leftover sediment, then stir in the rose water. Pot into sterilised jars, seal and label. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
• TO MAKE THE MEMBRILLO PASTE:Line a 16 x 24cm shallow oblong tin or tray with baking parchment. Tip the reserved fruit into a food processor and whizz to make a smooth-ish paste. Weigh the paste and for each 1kg paste, add 750g sugar (or for each 100g paste, add 75g sugar).
• Tip the paste and sugar into a large heavy-based pan and heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and cook, stirring regularly, for 30-45 mins until the paste is thick and golden, and leaves a gap when you run a wooden spoon across the base of the pan. Be careful as the mixture will spit at you and can burn. Spoon into the tin or tray and smooth the top. Leave to cool, then chill overnight until it is very firm.
• Wrap the paste in fresh baking parchment, then over-wrap in foil and store in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

QUINCE PASTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 1-quart terrine.
• Scrub quinces and pat dry. In a small roasting pan bake quinces, covered with foil, in middle of oven until tender, about 2 hours, and transfer pan to a rack. When quinces are cool enough to handle, with a sharp knife peel, quarter, and core them.
• In a food processor puree pulp with 1/4 cup water until smooth (if mixture is too thick, add remaining 1/4 cup water a little at a time, as needed). Force puree through a large fine sieve into a liquid cup measure and measure amount of puree. Transfer puree to a 3-quart heavy saucepan and add an equivalent amount of sugar.
• Cook quince puree over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened and begins to pull away from side of pan, about 25 minutes. Pour puree into terrine, smoothing top with an offset spatula, and cool. Chill puree, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until set, about 4 hours.
• Run a thin knife around sides of terrine and invert quince paste onto a platter. (Quince paste keeps, wrapped well in wax paper and then plastic wrap and chilled, 3 months.)
• Slice paste and serve with cheese and crackers.

QUINCE JELLY

Steps:

• Combine quinces and water in large pan, simmer, covered, about 1½ hours or until quinces are very soft. Strain mixture through fine cloth. Allow liquid to drip through cloth slowly several hours or overnight, do not squeeze cloth; discard quince pulp.
• Measure liquid, allow 220g (1 cup) sugar to each cup of liquid. Return liquid to pan with sugar, stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in juice, boil, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until jelly sets when tested. Remove from heat, stir in brandy. Allow bubbles to subside, pour into hot sterilised jars; seal while hot.

QUINCE JELLY AND PASTE

Steps:

• Peel, quarter and core the quinces and throw them straight into acidulated water (water with the juice of a lemon squeezed in). When they're all done, take them out of the water briefly and weigh them. Put them in a large preserving pan with 1 pint/568 ml of water to each pound/450g of fruit. Simmer gently until pulpy and soft, like apple sauce, but don't let the juice redden - it should be pale. Turn into a scalded jelly bag suspended over a large bowl or jug and allow to drain overnight without pressing the fruit (or you'll get a cloudy jelly). Set aside the pulp in the jelly bag to make membrillo. Weigh the juice, pour it into the cleaned preserving pan, and boil quickly for 20 minutes. This helps preserve the colour. Take it from the heat and stir in, until completely dissolved, 12 0z/340g of sugar to every 1lb/450g of juice. If the juice is very sour, increase the quantity of sugar to 14oz/400g of sugar to every pound of juice.
• Now to make the quince paste from leftover pulp Preheat the oven to 125F/52C. Lightly oil some small ovenproof dishes (or plastic pots if you plan to use a dehydrator) and set aside. Rectangular or square dishes make it easier to cut in neat slices, round ones look handsomer if you plan to turn it out and serve it all of a piece. Put the pulp and sugar in a large pan, stir well to mix and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook gently, stirring continuously, until the mixture has thickened to the point where you can see the bottom of the pan when you drag a wooden spoon through it and the quince clings to the spoon. If in any doubt, cook it for a few minutes more but whatever you do, don't stop stirring. It burns very easily.
• Now turn it into your pre-oiled dishes to a depth of 2-3 inches, smooth the top and put it in a low oven, 125F/52C, for about eight hours. If your oven doesn't go this low, prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Or if you have one, use a dehydrator on the same heat setting, putting the dishes on the bottom tray. After eight hours it should be glossy on top and dry to the touch. Allow to cool, cover and store in the fridge. It makes very good sweetmeats if you roll it in a little sugar.