Quinces are wonderful fruits related to apples and pears, most varieties are too hard or sour to eat when raw, but they make an amazing treat: quince cheese, which is basically a jam that when set gets really hard because of the high content of pectin in the quinces.

They are in season in late Autumn.

When cooled down it’s cut in small rectangular pieces and eaten as a treat by itself or with butter and toasted bread.

In Sicily it was sold wrapped in oiled paper and brought to school to be eaten as a mid-morning snack. I haven’t seen them around for some years but maybe I haven’t looked hard enough!

Ingredients:

1 kilo of quince flesh, skin removed and cut in pieces

1 lemon (washed) cut in big pieces, with skin and all

800 grams of caster sugar

Put the quince and the lemon in a pan, add enough water to cover the fruit and bring to the boil.

When the fruit is soft, drain it and discard the lemon pieces.

Mash the quince and put it back in the pan with the sugar, then let it cook for about 1 hour, mixing very often.

When it’s thick enough pour everything into a big dish or tin (a brownie tin or a lasagna dish) sprayed with very little oil or water.

Let cool, transfer onto a board and cut it into smaller piece.

It keeps in a container in the fridge for many months!