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Quince paste is a popular sweet jam made from the fruit of the quince tree, commonly found in southern Europe and the Middle East. It is made by boiling the fruit with sugar and lemon juice to create a smooth paste. It can be used as a spread on bread or as an accompaniment to roasts and other dishes. Proper storage is important to prevent contamination.
Quince paste is a thick jam made from the fruit of the quince tree. This deep red to orange jam has a sweet taste and a slightly floral flavour, and is hugely popular in southern Europe and the Middle East. Outside of these regions, it can be a little more difficult to obtain and can be viewed as a delicacy, with a correspondingly high price tag.
Quinces have been cultivated in southern Europe for centuries, both for their fruit and as ornamental plants; flowering quince has delicate pink flowers that are quite attractive. The quince fruit looks somewhat like an Asian pear, and is generally inedible in a raw form, being extremely hard and bitter. Quinces were traded by the Romans as love offerings and used historically in a variety of Greek and Roman dishes. Nowadays, quince paste and quince jam are common in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon and Spain.
To prepare the quince paste, liberally cook the quince fruits and boil them in water until softened. Then, sugar and lemon juice are added and the mixture is mashed. The procedure is similar to that used to make applesauce or apple butter, with the aim of obtaining a smooth and uniform paste. In Spain, where quince paste is known as dulce de mentillo, it is almost more like a jelly, thanks to the high pectin content, which is caused by using whole fruit, rather than seedless and pithless fruit .
There are several ways to use this jam. It is commonly offered at breakfast, where it can be spread on bread and can also be used to accompany roasts and other dishes, with its sweet, floral flavor complementing a wide range of foods. In Spain, quince paste and Manchego cheese is a very popular snack, with some people considering it the national dish of Spain, although a number of delicacies vie for this honour.
Like other jams and jellies, quince paste can keep for a long time if it is properly handled and stored in a sealed container. Once you open the container, however, the clock starts ticking. It’s a good idea to refrigerate it after opening and use it within a few months. Some crystallization is normal as the sugar in the paste precipitates, but discoloration and mold development are signs that it has been contaminated and should be discarded.
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