Membrillo

With the windfall quinces I mentioned in my post the other day, I made membrillo or quince paste.  It lasts all through the winter in a cool place and can be sliced and eaten on its own, cut in chunks and rolled in sugar as a sweet, or served with cheese, especially Manchego.  It takes a while but it’s easy to make:

Cut the quinces into large chunks, including the cores and pips but discarding any bruised or insect-infested bits. Cover with water in a large pan and boil until soft – it takes about an hour. Drain the fruit and put through a sieve or mouli legumes. Weigh the resulting pulp and add the same weight of sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer as it slowly thickens and darkens – this can take a couple of hours. Stir it and make sure it doesn’t burn – I use a diffuser between the flame and the pan.  Line a large baking tray with grease-proof paper and spread the membrillo out in a layer about 2 cm thick. Allow it to cool and dry. Cut it into pieces (whatever size you find most convenient – mine are about 12 cm x 8 cm), wrap them well in grease-proof paper and store in a cool place, a larder or fridge.