Anyone have any suggestions for using quince?

[maryinoregon]

I have two large buckets of pineapple quince. I got them for free. All I had to do was pick them. I have made some quince honey and preserves. They are in the freezer. I have a glass top stove. Canning is out. I tried my mom's old water bath canner and couldn't get it up to a good boil. I tried mixing some apples and quince into a pie I put into the freezer. I even found a recipe for a quince cream pie in an old Farm Journal cookbook, but it only uses one quince. I need to use a lot of them, or give them away. I think most people don't know what they are. Have no access to a regular stove at this point. I do have an old coleman stove I could use outside, but it is cold here right now. Can you imagine getting the jars of quince out of that boiling water bath and into the cold air? I would love to can these quince, but may have to stick with the freezer. Any suggestions for something beyond the usual honey, preserves, etc would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Zana]

Quince Pound Cake

Gourmet | January 1998

Serves 10 to 12.

For cooking quince
2 medium quinces (about 1 pound total)
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 whole large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook quince:
Peel, quarter, and core quinces. Cut quarters crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan bring quince, water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, 2 1/2 hours (quince will be deep pinkish orange). Drain quince in a large sieve and transfer to paper towels. Pat quince dry and cool. Chill quince, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan, knocking out excess flour.
Into

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a bowl sift together twice flour, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until combined well. Add yolk and whole eggs, 1 at a time, to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat in half of flour mixture and all of cream until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and vanilla, beating until just combined. Fold quince slices into batter until combined well and spread batter evenly in pan.
Bake cake in middle of oven 1 1/4 hours, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. (Cake keeps, in an airtight container at room temperature, 4 days.)

[Zana]

Quince Compote

Bon Appétit | November 2003

This recipe is an accompaniment for Mascarpone Cheesecake with Quince Compote. I've used this with plain cheesecakes as well as with struedel. Zana
Makes about 3 cups.

4 pounds quinces, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 cups dry white wine
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring often. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fruit to bowl. Boil juices uncovered until reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Cover and chill overnight.

Test-kitchen tip: The hard core of the quince must be removed with a pairing knife after each fruit is quartered. If the core is too hard to remove safely with a knife, trim pieces of fruit from around it then cut the pieces into smaller cubes.

[Zana]

I made this one last year and kept it in the fridge. Zana

Quince, Ginger, and Pecan Conserve

Gourmet | January 1998

In this recipe we slowly "double-cook" the quince, which prevents the fruit from crystallizing and heightens the pinkish- orange color it turns when cooked.
Makes about 2 cups.

1/2 cup pecans
3 medium quinces (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
a 1-inch piece fresh gingerroot
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Accompaniments: meats, cheeses, and crackers

Preheat oven to 350°F.
On a baking sheet in middle of oven toast pecans in one layer until golden, about 10 minutes, and when cool coarsely chop. Peel, quarter, and core quinces. Cut quarters lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices and cut each slice crosswise into 6 pieces. Peel gingerroot and cut into fine julienne strips.
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan bring quince, gingerroot, and all remaining ingredients except pecans to a boil. Simmer mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, 2 1/2 hours (quince will be deep pinkish orange). Cool mixture in pan, covered, at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Return pan to heat and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in pecans and transfer conserve to a bowl to cool completely. (Conserve keeps, covered and chilled, 1 month.)

Serve conserve with meats, cheeses, and crackers.

[Zana]

I think I made 6 quarts of this, the first time, opened one and the others "testing it" took my other 5 quarts, tout suite. I had to make another batch for them and moi. So I can definitely recommend this one. Zana

Quince Applesauce

Applesauce can begin as a soothing breakfast fruit and end as a dessert, tucked inside a buckwheat crêpe or made into the glorious dessert.
The pressure cooker in tandem with the food mill eliminates the need to peel and core the apples. You can have applesauce in 15 minutes.
Quinces give applesauce an elusive perfume and turn it rosy pink.
Makes about 1 quart.
Deborah Madison
Broadway Books

2 quinces, cut in sixths for a pressure cooker or thinly sliced for for a food mill
3 pounds apples, quartered
honey or sugar
fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, cardamom, or allspice or a pinch of ground cloves, optional

If you're using a food mill, put the apples and quince in a pot, add 1/3 cup water, cover securely, and cook until the apples are completely tender, about 20 minutes. Or put them in a pressure cooker with 3 tablespoons water, bring the pressure to high, and cook for 10 minutes. Release the pressure or let it fall by itself. Pass the cooked fruit through the food mill into a clean pot. Taste and sweeten with honey if the sauce is tart or add the lemon juice if the apples are too sweet. Add the spices. Simmer for 5 minutes, then cool. If you're not using a food mill, peel and core the apples and quince first, then cook until they're broken down into a sauce.

[Zana]

I've made this more than once. A couple of times I've mixed apples and quince randomly or arrange the circles alternatively with quince and apple. Either way it tasted good. Zana ps can you tell I like quince? lol


Quince Tarte Tatin

Bon Appétit | December 2006

Quinces take the place of apples, tarting up the classic dessert.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2–inch cubes
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 small quinces (about 3 1/4 pounds), peeled, each cut into 1–inch–wide wedges, cored

For crust: Mix first 3 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl; add to processor. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

For

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filling: Fill large skillet with ice cubes; set aside.

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy 11–inch–diameter ovenproof skillet. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium–high; boil until caramel is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and cinnamon. Immediately place skillet with caramel atop ice in large skillet; let stand until caramel is cold and hardened, about 30 minutes. Remove skillet from ice.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Arrange quince wedges tightly together, rounded side down, in concentric circles atop caramel in skillet. Fill center with any broken quince pieces. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12 1/2–inch round. Place dough atop quinces; tuck edges of dough down around sides of quinces. Make three 2–inch–long cuts in center of dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Place skillet on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until quinces are tender and crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 30 minutes.

Place large platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing tart to slide out onto platter. Rearrange any dislodged quince wedges, if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature

[Zana]

One last one.

cranberry quince sauce Gourmet | November 2005

This sauce, a mix of everyday and exotic, provides a sweet and tart contrast to rich meat or poultry.
Makes about 5 cups.

1 3/4 lb quinces (2 large)
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw; 3 1/2 cups)
Special equipment: an 8-inch square of cheesecloth; kitchen string

Peel, quarter, and core quinces, reserving peel and cores, then cut quarters into 1/4-inch pieces. Tie up peel and cores in cheesecloth. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add quince and cheesecloth bundle and simmer, partially covered, until quince is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add cranberries and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain mixture in a large medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl, discarding cheesecloth bundle and reserving cranberry solids, then return cooking liquid to pan and boil, uncovered, until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir together syrup and cranberry mixture in bowl, then cool to room temperature.
Cooks' note:
Cranberry quince sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container.

[maryinoregon]

Wow Zana! I especially like the idea of the cranberry/quince sauce, but all of the recipes sound good. I really appreciate your suggestions. Thank you for your response.

[blatanna]

I have three recipes for using quince. Quince cheese, quince and rosemary jelly and quince and coriander jelly. if you are interested in any of them let me know and i will post recipes.

[Zana]

Blatanna,
Please post yr recipes. I'm always looking for jelly recipes, but since I love quince I'd like to see anything that anybody thinks is good. Ta.

[Granny]

Mary, we happened to buy a glass cooktop right in the middle of canning season this year, so we also bought a "commercial" quality 2-burner electric. The electric hot plate thing absolutely did not boil water, I needed to process some stuff despite it all so I put my more recently purchased canner on the glass-top anyway. I ended up processing hundreds of jars without a single problem. Note: start with already hot tap water or boil the water in smaller pots and add them to the canner (on high) as they heat up to shorten the time it takes to get all those gallons of water to a boil.

You might also consider a big gas ring like is used outdoors for a turkey fryer set up.

[blatanna]

Zana, sorry i did'nt get the time to post the recipes for quince. Will post them on Wednesday night.

[Zana]

Thanks Blatanna. I'll look forward to reading them.

[blatanna]

Quince and Rosemary Jelly

2 lb quinces cut into small pieces
1 1/2 pints of water
lemon juice (optional)
4 large sprigs fresh rosemary
2 lb of preserving or granulated sugar (white)

Put the chopped quinces in a large pan using the smaller ammount of water if the quinces are ripe and the larger ammount plus the lemon if they are hard.
Reserve a few small sprigs of rosemary and add the rest to the pan.
Bring to the boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until the fruit is pulpy.
Remove and discard all the rosemary twigs (the stems)
Pour the mixture into a steralized jelly bag and leave until all the juice has drained
Measure the strained juice into a clean pan adding 1lb sugar for every pint of juice.
Heat the mixture gently over a low heat and stir until the sugar has disolved.
Bring to the boil and then boil rapidly for about 10mins or until the jelly reaches setting point. (105C/220F)
Skim the surface and leave to cool for a few mins.
Place a sprig of rosemary in the bottom of each jar and pour in the jelly
Cover and seal when cold.
Store in a cool dark place and use within a year,

[blatanna]

Quince and Coriander jelly

2lb quinces washed and chopped.
1 tbsp coriander seeds
Juice and pips of two large lemons.
1 1/2 pints of water.
2 lb of preserving or granulated sugar (white)
Variation--If you don't have enough quinces you can make up the ammount with apples.

Put the quinces in the pan with the coriander seeds lemon juice and pips tied in a muslin bag.
Add the water, cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
Leave the fruit to cool and strain in a jelly bag.
Measure into a pan and for every pint of juice add 1lb sugar.
The rest of the recipe is the same as the rosemary and quince jelly.