Just the word “quinces” takes me back in time, to summers spent having breakfast in the countryside with my grandparents. The quince jam spread on homemade bread was my favorite morning dish.
The quince tree is now an almost forgotten plant: due to its sour taste, few people consume it anymore. And I’m one of those few! After 25 years, I finally have two small trees of this fruit in my garden and, for a couple of years, I have enthusiastically resumed this traditional family recipe.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3.3 lbs quinces
- 4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Tools
- Jars
Preparation
Start by washing the quinces and, with a brush, remove the fuzz on the peel. Once clean, remove the core and cut them into pieces.
Transfer the quinces into a pot with half a cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until you get a consistency similar to boiled potatoes.
Drain the quinces and pass them through a sieve to obtain a smooth pulp.
Weigh 1 kg of pulp and pour it into a pot with 4 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then lower the heat and let it simmer for exactly 20 minutes.
At this point, your jam is ready. Pour it into sterilized jars (see how to do it here), close them, and turn them upside down on a surface, so the lid creates a vacuum seal. Let them cool in this position until the next day, then store them in the pantry.
Tips
It is important not to exceed 20 minutes of cooking, to prevent the jam from becoming hard and very gummy instead of creamy once cooled.
The jam keeps well for up to one year.
It is also excellent for filled cookies or pies.
