- 2 1/4 pound quince, roughly chopped
- 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Place the fruit into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or preserving pan and cover with water, so that the waterline sits an inch or so [a few cm] above the line of the fruit. Place the pan on high heat and bring the water up to a simmer. Place the lid on the pan, turn down the heat, and simmer for about 60 minutes, until the fruit is soft and broken down, and you’re left with something approaching a fruit pulp. (If you don’t have a lid, don’t worry—just keep an eye on the amount of water in the pan and top up if you need to.)
- Once the fruit is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to stand for 30 minutes or so. Then, place a sturdy strainer over a bowl and pour the pulp out of the pan into the strainer. Use the back of a ladle to force the pulp through the strainer into the bowl. Alternatively, you can put the pulp through a mouli, if you have one.
- Weigh the contents of the bowl and add two-thirds of that weight in granulated sugar. Clean the cooking pan, and then return the sweetened quince mixture to it. Set it over medium heat, and bring it up to a simmer, stirring or whisking regularly for about 60 minutes or more, until the mixture has thickened, so that a wooden spoon dragged through it reveals the base of the pan for a couple of seconds before the mixture comes together again. It may begin to bubble, but keep stirring and it won’t burn. Don’t rush.
- Pour the quince into sterilized jars and seal. Store in a cool place (it will keep for several months) until you’re ready to use it.