Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Quince Cheese

No, this has nothing at all to do with dairy products or cheese as you usually know it. A fruit cheese is a fruit desert made with pectin rich fruit such as damsons, plums or quinces. I have never made it before, I am quite pleased with the results. A crucial aspect of the quince is that it is extremely pectin rich. Pectin is a protein which helps set jams and chutneys. Quince seeds are especially rich in pectin so they are an essential part of this recipe. Wash and chop the quinces and just cover in water, add some lemon juice and bring to a simmer for about 40 minutes until quite soft. I left this cooked quince overnight to cool before sieving out the pips and the skins until I had a thick puree. For each pint volume of puree you will need to add one pound of sugar. This recipe reduces down considerably so you will want to start with 2 or 3 pints of puree.
Then simmer slowly,
Stirring constantly,
For about 3 hours,
Or as long as it takes to draw the spoon across the bottom of the pan and still see the bottom of the pan, that can be an awful long time! Then pour the very thick, ruby red paste into a pan which has been greased with oil or glycerin.
Then leave overnight to set. You should be able to turn this out onto greaseproof paper and cut into squares or diamonds. Sprinkle caster sugar over them and dry for a further 24 hours.
This should be kept in an airtight tin, eaten as an after dinner treat or snack. I will keep mine in individual small cake/muffin cases.

17 Comments:

At 6:03 PM, Blogger Celia Hart said...

Oh who needs Turkish Delight when there's Matron's Dulce de Membrillo... Bravo!

Celia
:-)

 
At 6:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

mmm, looks delicious. Cedric sent me a recipe for quince membrillo which I think is the same and I've been waiting to track down some quince before posting it. I managed that on Saturday but at the moment 'm enjoying their gorgeous floral smell too much to want to cook them. oh and still being far too occupied with chutney and jam making! the quinces I found look like yours only speckly (hope that doesn't mean their going over) whereas Cedric's were huge like pears.
Nic x

 
At 7:38 PM, Blogger Shaheen said...

Quince cheese can be quite expensive.

I was always curious about this recipe. Thank you for sharing. The step by step images are most appreciated, especially with the changing colours.

 
At 7:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have read about this cheese and how quinces turn red. I have never seen it so far. Thanks for the pictures. I will probably try it also next year.

 
At 8:14 PM, Blogger Tira said...

Wow, it looks just like Guava cheese. i didn't realise you could do that with other fruits.

 
At 8:50 PM, Blogger Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I've never seen this before. It turns such a pretty color.

 
At 9:28 PM, Blogger Carrie said...

Holy moly Matron you are fab! That looks wonderful and super tasty, though naughty - I like. What a lot of work though, is it worth it? I'm I right in thinking it is like the French fruit jellies, so thick!??

Oh, I'm writing about you tomorrow....

 
At 10:21 PM, Anonymous Rachael said...

I made damson cheese a few years ago - I still have a dish of it in the cupboard which I keep forgetting about. it's supposed to improve with age! Think I will try cutting it up into cubes and rolling in icing/caster sugar, maybe for Christmas.

 
At 7:15 AM, Blogger Chrissie said...

yumyum - try it with some strong cheese, like they do in Spain - yumyum again!

 
At 9:22 AM, Blogger Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

That looks mouth wateringly scrumptious! Unfortunately I am unable to make the recipe as I have no quinces. Yet!

 
At 11:42 AM, Blogger Green thumb said...

That looks very very tasty. The recipe is lovely but requires a lot of time and a hell lot of patience. But as they say,'good things come to those who wait', and so I will.

 
At 2:54 PM, Anonymous CM said...

Very, very cool! Thanks for posting with all the photos. I didn't even know it was possible to make this sort of fruit "jelly" without special equipment. I'll have to add this idea to my Christmas list...

 
At 3:42 PM, Blogger Kath said...

That looks SO GOOD Matron! Have you ever tried quince or damson leather, which is dried slowly overnight in a low oven? I haven't but it's on my 'to do' list!

 
At 4:07 PM, Blogger Midmarsh John said...

If it tastes as good as it looks, Matron, I can't see you keeping it long enough to put in cake tins. ;)

 
At 9:03 PM, Blogger Tash said...

Yes I made this a few years back with my sisters quinces. I remember it felt like it took forever to make.

..it is delicious with Manchego cheese though.

 
At 11:10 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Veg Heaven - I have made mango fruit leather and apple fruit leather in my dehydrator. Wonderful snacks but they don't last long!
Will definitely have to try this quince cheese with strong cheddar cheese!

 
At 10:56 PM, Anonymous Marcia said...

Matron, where I came from Quince is called Marmelo and this quice cheese is called then Marmelada. When I moved into England I found out that the only Marmelade available here is a jam made of oranges?!? I was completely confused, how can a Marmelade be called that if there's not a hint of Marmelo in it? So just for the record, what you've made it's a beautiful, mouthwatering and REAL marmelade (or marmelada for portuguese speakers). It's usually served with cheese after dinner, I prefer with mild ones, like caerphilly.

 

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