This golden and brilliant jelly captures the fragrant essence of quince, an autumn fruit with complex flavors and a delightfully subtle tartness. Traditional and elegant, it spreads beautifully on toasted bread or accompanies cheeses with timeless sophistication. A genuine homemade nectar that will delight lovers of authentic and refined flavors.
⏱️120 min
📊Medium
👥6 servings
🍽️Dessert
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfestive
Ingredients
1.5 kgquinces
800 gcrystallized sugar
500 mlwater
2 cuillères à soupefresh lemon juice
1 piècevanilla bean
1 piècecinnamon stick
Instructions
1PREPARE THE QUINCES: Wash the quinces thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing away the fuzz with a kitchen towel. Cut them into quarters without removing the skin or seeds, as these contain the natural pectin essential for the jelly to set. Weigh approximately 1.5 kg of prepared quinces. This step is crucial because the pectin present in the seeds and skin will allow your jelly to set properly without the addition of chemical gelling agents.
2FIRST COOKING: Place the quince quarters in a large Dutch oven or pot with 500 ml of water. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds to add to the liquid, then also add the cinnamon stick broken into pieces. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and cook covered for 45 to 50 minutes, until the quinces become very tender and disintegrate easily with a fork. The quinces should take on a characteristic rosy hue and release an intense sweet and floral aroma intensified by the cooking.
3STRAINING AND JUICE EXTRACTION: Pour the contents of the pot through a fine sieve positioned over a clean bowl or chinois strainer lined with cheesecloth. Let drain for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator: do not press the mixture, as this could cloud your jelly and make it opaque. The more patient you are during this step, the clearer and more brilliant your jelly will be. You should obtain approximately 400 to 500 ml of amber and translucent juice.
4CALCULATING AND ADDING SUGAR: Pour the filtered juice into a container and measure its exact quantity. Use the classic ratio of 1 kg of sugar for 1 liter of fruit juice for jellies. Pour the juice into a jam pan or large heavy-bottomed pot, add the sugar and fresh lemon juice which will enhance the flavor and aid in gelling. Mix well so the sugar is in contact with the liquid before any heat source.
5COOKING THE JELLY: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring constantly to completely dissolve the sugar, then stop stirring and let boil vigorously for 15 to 20 minutes. During cooking, regularly skim off the white foam that rises to the surface with a skimmer to obtain a crystalline jelly. Increase the heat to achieve vigorous and steady boiling. You are aiming to reach the gelling point, which usually occurs between 104 and 105°C, when the mixture acquires its characteristic viscosity.
6SETTING TEST AND JARRING: Regularly perform a setting test by pouring a small amount of jelly onto a plate that has been previously chilled in the freezer: when the drop solidifies and does not run when you tilt the plate, the gel point has been reached. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes off the heat to allow bubbles to rise. Carefully pour into jars sterilized with boiling water and seal hermetically with lids. Let cool completely at room temperature for 24 hours: during this rest, the jelly will continue to set gradually and reach its final texture. Store in a cool, dry place for up to one year.