Easy Quince Jam Food

EASY QUINCE JAM

Steps:

• Wash jars in hot, soapy water, and rinse well. Then place the jars and lids on a baking sheet in the oven at 220° F to dry. Leave them in the oven until you need them.
• Thoroughly wash the quince under cold running water and scrub well to remove all the fuzz. Don't peel them. The skin of quince is a source of pectin, a natural thickener that facilitates the gelling of jam.
• Meanwhile, prepare a big bowl of acidulated water: squeeze the lemon in the water and leave the halves inside.
• Cut the quinces in half, core them, and cut them in slices using a sharp knife because their skin is very hard. Quince pulp blackens quickly, so as you peel them, place them in the prepared bowl with water and lemon to slow down the oxidation process.
• Next, once all the quince is sliced, remove the slices from the acidulated water and place them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Boil the sliced quince on medium/low until they are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
• Then, once soft, drain them and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer to obtain a puree. The hard parts will stay in the food mill and you will be left with a smooth quince puree.
• Once you have the quince puree, weigh it and calculate 500 g of sugar per kilo of purée obtained (that means the sugar is half the weight of the quince puree).
• Transfer the puree to a dutch oven or a pot with a heavy bottom. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the jam starts bubbling slowly and it has not yet reached a thick density. It will dense up in the jar. During cooking, remember to stir the jam often with a spatula or a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
• Ladle or funnel the hot quince jam into the sterilized hot jars leaving 1 cm from the edge. Wipe the rim and seal tight with the lids.
• Label the jars and store them in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep it sealed in the fridge.

QUINCE JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize 8 (1/2 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes, and have new lids ready.
• Place the quinces in a large pot, and pour in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain off 4 cups of the juice. Mix juice with sugar and lemon juice in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, and return to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle into hot sterile jars, and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath to seal. Refrigerate jelly after opening.
• Store sealed jars in a cool dark place. Refrigerate jelly after opening.

QUINCE JELLY

Steps:

• Put the quince and lemon peel and juice in a large, deep saucepan. Cover with water (you'll need about 3.2 litres) and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hr 30 mins until the quince is very soft.
• Line a colander with muslin cloth, and put over a very large saucepan or heatproof bowl. Tip the quince into the lined colander, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to strain for 4-8 hrs until all the juice has dripped out. Discard the pulp, then measure out the strained juice and transfer to a large, deep saucepan (the jelly will bubble up high as it cooks). Add 500g sugar for every 600ml juice.
• Bring to the boil over a low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a rapid bubble and cook until the temperature reaches 105C on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water, if using. Ladle into hot sterilised jars and seal. Will keep in a cool, dark place for up to a year.