Recipe: Quince Paste

Hello Ann,

I haven't tried these recipes, but hopefully they are what you're looking for.

Betsy

Author: Owen Watson
Date: 1998/05/13
Forum: rec.food.recipes

Membrillo (Quince Paste)

2 lb quinces
1 lb sugar
juice one lemon

Wipe fur off quinces, quarter, steam in a little water till soft. Rub through
sieve. Boil sugar and 1/2 cup water, simmer for 10 min, then add to paste.
Microwave paste till thick - about 40 mins on medium, stirring occasionally. Dry
for several days in warm place. Store in greaseproof paper or foil.Author: Jodie Kain
Date: 1998/05/31
Forum: rec.food.recipes

from Recipes from a Greek Island by Susie Jacobs
(ISBN 0-671-74531-X)

Greek Quince Paste
Pastoky'thono

makes about 2 1/2 dozen

3 quinces, ea. about 14 oz
about 1 lb pears
4 cups sugar, plus extra for storing
4 Tb lemon juice
1/3 cup shelled almonds, blanched & lightly toasted
about 2 Tb Cognac or Poire William eau-de-vie

HERB INFUSION:
1 Tb lime flowers (ti'lio)
1 Tb lemon balm or lemon verbena (lui'sa), about 16 leaves
6-8 lemon geranium leaves (arbaro'riza)

A day ahead, make a strong infusion of lime flowers, lemon balm, and scented
geranium leaves by putting them in a glass jar with 1 1/2 cups of water and
standing it in the sun all day. Alternatively, simmer them together for 15 mins.

Peel, core, and chop the quinces into chunks. Puree in a food processor. Peel,
core, and chop the pears and puree them too. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, mix
the sugar with the infusion and the lemon juice. Bring slowly to a boil to
dissolve the sugar, then boil for 10 mins. Stir in the fruit pulp and bring back
to a boil. Turn down the heat as low as possible - ideally, slip a heat diffuser
under the pan. Stir, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hrs, until the fruit turns amber-
to-dark pink. Stir occasionally, to be sure the bottom is not sticking. The syrup
should reduce to the consistency of a thick porridge. If this is not happening,
remove the lid and continue cooking until a spoon run through the fruit leaves a
trench. Be careful not to burn the bottom. (**If you stop cooking the syrup at a
thinner stage you will have marmalade**) Pour the fruit pulp into a 12 inch
square baking pan, to a depth of 3/4-> 1 inch. Press the toasted almonds in at
regular intervals. Cover tightly with clean cheesecloth and leave in the sun for
1 week. Or lacking Greek sun, put in an oven at its lowest heat to dry. Brush
the dried paste with Cognac, sprinkle with sugar, and cut into pieces. To store,
put in an airtight box with bay leaves and waxed paper between the layers and eat
within 6 months.