By hearing the word “jam” the first thing that crosses my mind is summer. But, during winter there are also plenty of fruits that can be transformed into flavored jams, such as the quince jam.
Definitely the abundance of fruits during spring and summer months is unbeatable. But this post is not dedicated to juicy pears or figs. This post is dedicated to a not so popular fruit, the quince.
The quince
When you take a quince into your hand you realize at once how unique and special fruit is. Its shape resembles pear, but in an unintentional version, almost irregular. While its flesh is covered by soft velvety peel, as if it wants to protect from the cold.
If you bring it close to you and smell it you will immediately understand that this fruit is worth your time. It has such a vibrant and fresh smell that you fall in love with it at once. Its smell should not go to waste.
Then you try to cut it. The quince will give you the feeling of a marble, that there is no way to cut it. As if it wants to stay there forever to adorn the colorless winter landscape.
How to cook quince
But all this until the quince is cooked.
The quince can be cooked in the oven, has savory and sweet alternatives. For its sweet version it is enough to add the right spices and very easily you will transform it into a delicious warm dessert. If you add a vanilla ice cream scoop by the side, then you are taking it to the next level.
In its savory version you can find it next to a well-cooked piece of pork. But do not leave it alone. Quince can be a great buddy for potatoes, carrots and a bunch of fresh or dried herbs.
But can the quince stand alone? Of course it can. If you are a spoon sweet lover then you will love it. Whereas, if you can’t resist to homemade jams then let me tell you that you have in your hands one of the greatest ingredients.
Tips for making quince jam
Quince jam is so unique fresh, it has a unique vividness.
Quince is such a special fruit that even its seeds cannot be left unused. This is because along with the peels and the stems they have a lot of pectin. Same case with apples.
Thus, in the making of quince jam we throw nothing. After we cut the quince flesh into pieces, we add pits, peels and stems tied in cheesecloth. The jam will be boiled in a casserole where the quince flesh and the cheesecloth will be boiled together.
Finally, it is important to understand when a jam is ready. The classic test for checking is to put a spoon of jam on a frozen little plate. Using a clean, dry finger, draw a line through the middle of the jam to create a “channel”. If the channel remains in place, the jam has set. If the jam rejoins, more cooking time is needed.
Quince jam
Equipment
- cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 1 kg quinces, into cubes
- 750 ml water
- 500 gr sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
- First sterilize the containers. To sterilize the glass containers, clean them and lay them on the rack of the oven at 120 ° C for 10-20 minutes. Allow them to cool while making the jam.
- Wash and peel the quinces. Cut them into small pieces and remove the pits and their hard parts. Add the pits and peels tied in a cheesecloth.
- Add the quinces and cheesecloth in a pot. Add the water and boil until the quinces are tender. It will take about 15 minutes.
- In order to get more pectin drain the cheesecloth as much as you can into the pot and remove.
- Puree the quince puree with a blender. Add the sugar and cinnamon.
- Boil over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spatula for a few minutes until our mixture thickens.
- When the jam is set, add the lemon, stir for 2-3 minutes and remove from the heat.
- Allow the quince jam to cool before putting it in sterile glass containers.
And so the captivating taste and smell of the quince is captured in a jar. A jar whose taste has nothing to envy from the seductive summer jams.
Quince is such a unique fruit, so different from anything else that it worth your time. Even if you don’t want to make quince jam remember that there are so many ways to cook it, don’t underestimate it.
I will be over the moon if this winter give a quince a chance. I would love to hear this from you either on Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter!
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