Dulce de Membrillo

Don't they look devine! My delectable quince with their subtle perfumed aroma and a downy skin (not unlike a peach). But what to do with this honeyed fruit?

I actually cooked up a huge batch of dulce de membrillo after being given a huge bag of them from my friend's brother's place (thank you Chrissie and John).  So this really is a free-form recipe that you can scale up to whatever proportions you require.  The dulce de membrillo is a great gift to take round to parties to round off an evening.  Invariably there will be cheese and this is an excellent accompaniment.

The recipe comes from internet delvings into the wonderful blog The Traveler's Lunchbox - http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2005/11/11/dulce-de-membrillo-and-a-host-mothers-love.html.  Please go and read the great posting on being served dulce de membrillo by a formidable Basque mother. 'The Traveler' got it from a the Basque Table by Teresa Barrenechea.

4 large quinces
sugar 

Wash the quinces, but do not peel them. Put them into a large pan, and add enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook the quinces for about 40 minutes, until they begin to crack. With a slotted spoon, remove the quinces from the pan, and set them aside to cool. 

When the quinces are cool enough to handle, peel them, and remove and discard the seeds. Weigh the peeled and seeded quinces, and then pass them through a food mill or process in a food processor until smooth. I actually used  my blender which worked wonderfully.

Weigh the quince pulp and make a note (you will need that later).

Transfer the quinces to a saucepan, and add the same weight of sugar as fruit. Stir well, and cook the mixture over very low heat for about 1 hour, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture turns red and very sticky, and there is no visible liquid left. 

Transfer it to a shallow container (a loaf pan works well for this as does those plastic takeaway tubs), and let it cool uncovered. Cut it up when it has solidified, and serve it with slices of pungent cheese. It will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to two months. It is great to have the membrillo in these plastic tubs as they fit in your fridge so well.