Homemade quince. How to make quince jam

How to prepare homemade quince jelly .

This sweet recipe , also called ” quince meat “. One of those so traditional and familiar that we can find it throughout Spain.

Both the one that we find for sale (industrial) and the one made at home, is a real life-saver for after-dinner and dessert moments.

Personally, I have lived with him since my earliest childhood, since in Ourense and Galicia it is very traditional. Where there is a quince tree, there is also a mother or grandmother preparing a delicious quince jelly .

After a good meal, finishing with a little quince and a cheese from Arzúa (Galicia) is the best culmination. There are even many restaurants that offer it on the dessert menu. I assure you that it is one of the most requested.

The “quince” is the fruit of the tree also called quince (or quince). Small in size, it belongs to the Rosaceae family, and is “related” to other fruit trees such as apple or pear.

Curiously, it is a fruit with a low sugar content. Although practically in our country it is consumed in “sweet”, so we do not take advantage of that circumstance. Its great virtue is the high content of pectin, an important element when making jams and elaborations in which we need a natural thickener.

Its season runs from the end of September to February, coinciding with the colder months.

When you go to buy them, choose yellowish fruits that are not beaten or damaged. If it is to make sweet, we will look for the most mature ones, with some stain on the skin and soft to the touch.

For many years I didn’t even think about doing it, because when I had to go to Galicia I always found it at home. This time I brought a few quinces from the Ribeira Sacra (Ourense) and I have prepared a quince jelly with my mother Rosa’s recipe. I hope you like it.

Preparation of quince jelly

The homemade quince jelly is unbeatable. Nothing to do with the one we bought in the supermarket.

1. First of all, the first thing will be to wash the quinces well. Then we put them in a large pot.
2. We cover them with water and bring to a boil. At that time, we go down to medium heat and leave to cook for about 40/45 min. (depending on the size of the quinces).
3. After time, we carefully remove them and let them cool a reasonable time, so as not to burn ourselves. We peel them, remove the heart and cut the pulp into small pieces.
4. We weigh the amount, and of the resulting, we will have to use 80% of that weight in sugar.
5. In my case, the pulp is 850 grams, so I will use 680 grams of sugar to make the quince jelly.
6. In a large flat pot, add the quince pulp and add all the sugar.
7. Stir and cook over low / medium heat. Little by little the sugar will be integrated with the fruit.
8. When it takes about 10 minutes, and the sugar is completely dissolved.
9. We pass the mixer (or through the mash) to make a finer mixture.
10. For this quantity of quince, we will have to cook about an hour.

Final preparation and presentation of the homemade quince

1. We must be stirring from time to time, with a wooden spoon or similar (never metallic).
2. It is so that it does not stick to the bottom, and so that it is cooked in a more homogeneous way.
3. The pulp will thicken and darken as time progresses.
4. When the spoon stays by itself, stuck in the sweet, it is in the right texture. At this point, if you want it even finer, you can give it one more blender blow.
5. As for the containers for the mold, at home they have always used plastic “tuppers”, low and wide.
6. We pour the pulp directly into them, cover and leave them in the refrigerator for 24 hours. In this way it will get the right consistency and texture.

I encourage you to try to make quince at home, nothing to do with the purchased.

You can see all the step-by-step photos of this homemade quince recipe  in this album.

Tips for a yummy quince jelly

• The elaboration is simple, with only two ingredients. On the blog you can find a variant of this quince jelly with a touch of liquor, although it will take some time and dedication.
• Since the sugar acts as a preservative, the quince jelly will last you months, either in the cupboard (it is fresh) or in the fridge.
• In Galicia we usually accompany it with a creamy Arzúa-Ulloa cheese at dessert time, and it is the perfect combination.
• But the quince jelly has life beyond: in a toast for breakfast, in a sauce to accompany meats, in cake topping, etc.
• Remember that you can also make this candy easier, the apple candy that you like so much on the blog is a great option.