Quince jelly recipe

Quince jelly is incredibly versatile, perfect when spread on crumpets or slathered on some crackers with cheese.

Quince jelly is a deliciously fragrant and subtly sweet fruit paste that goes really well with cheese and savoury snacks. The jelly is known for being expensive in the shops, even for the little tubs, so it's well worth making your own at home for a fraction of the price. Quince jelly has a really lovely texture that spreads easily and goes particularly well with Iberico meats and Manchego cheese. Less sweet than jam, the quince jelly is a mighty match for Manchego’s creamy, mild flavour. You could also serve along with fresh fruit and a handful of nuts.

Please note: the nutritional information provided for this recipe is calculated as a whole recipe and not per portion, jar, or person.

Ingredients

• 3kg ripe quinces, unpeeled
• 1kg granulated or preserving sugar (or 500g to every 600ml of strained juice)
• Pared rind and strained juice of 2 lemons

Method

1. Wash the quinces well and cut into chunks, removing any blemished or rotten parts - it's fine to keep the skin on and the cores in. Put in a large pan and pour over enough water to just cover the fruit. Simmer until pulpy, which will take at least an hour.
2. Put the pulp into a jelly bag or muslin cloth and leave to drip for at least 4 hrs (or overnight).
3. Measure the juice (it's likely to be about 1.25 litres) and pour it into a preserving pan. Stir in the sugar, adjusting the amount if you have more or less, the lemon rind, tied together in a piece of muslin, and the lemon juice.
4. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil rapidly, skimming the scum off the top, until the jelly reaches setting point.
5. Pot into warm, dry jars, cover and seal. Serve your quince jelly on crumpets, muffins or toast, or with roast hot or cold meats, especially game.

Top tip for making quince jelly:

Quinces look rather like ugly apples and are rock-hard, even when ripe - but they do give out a beautiful perfume and are soft and fluffy when baked. These aren't actually found in hedgerows so you'll have to get them from someone you know who has a quince tree in their garden.