I finally got around to making quince cheese. It was a great delight to have about a dozen decent quinces this year - I made an initial batch of jelly with about 3 large ones - and it was regrettable to throw away all that wonderful quince material, but I did. With the second batch of quinces I made about 9 small pots of jelly (it goes to nothing) and then used the quince pulp to make quince cheese. To do this, you take the pulp - pips, skin and all and the recipes say to put it through a fine sieve - well, if you have all the time in the world, but I used my mouli-legumes and although it doesn't sieve that fine, it got rid of the worst of the lumps. The resulting mash is boiled up with equal amounts of sugar until thick. Of course the definition of what "thick" means is a dark art. After about an hour of slow cooking the mixture was thick and bubbling like a sort of terracotta coloured polenta - large volcanic bubble burst into the air above the saucepan, scalding you as you stirred. Ned came into the kitchen and looked at the bubbling pot with horror. I stirred sporadically, it wasn't sticking, but it was thick.
I poured it into plastic takeaway trays - so it can be turned out in a nice rectangle when needed. When it cooled it could be cut into slices, but they are rather soft slices and don't completely hold their shape - so I think rather than cook until "thick" the instruction should be cook until the spoon meets resistance. This would give a tougher, more membrillo like product. Membrillo is more jellly like - perhaps they cook the entire quince jelly and all into membrillo. Should have had a look for a recipe. And now I wish I'd made apple cheese too. However, the quince cheese is very nice and good with cheese and cold meat etc. It does have a rather grainy texture like the fruit itself, but I am delighted with it, and hope it will make a good Christmas present.
Serving suggestions: Apple cheese used to be served as part of a desert course - something I really like in winter - and it was studded with hazelnuts and covered with whipped cream. I am sure something similar could be done with quince cheese - but I think walnuts might be nicer - very good combination with blue cheese. I suppose one could use the q.c. to add to casseroles (good with pheasant or g.fowl or poultry generally).
I poured it into plastic takeaway trays - so it can be turned out in a nice rectangle when needed. When it cooled it could be cut into slices, but they are rather soft slices and don't completely hold their shape - so I think rather than cook until "thick" the instruction should be cook until the spoon meets resistance. This would give a tougher, more membrillo like product. Membrillo is more jellly like - perhaps they cook the entire quince jelly and all into membrillo. Should have had a look for a recipe. And now I wish I'd made apple cheese too. However, the quince cheese is very nice and good with cheese and cold meat etc. It does have a rather grainy texture like the fruit itself, but I am delighted with it, and hope it will make a good Christmas present.
Serving suggestions: Apple cheese used to be served as part of a desert course - something I really like in winter - and it was studded with hazelnuts and covered with whipped cream. I am sure something similar could be done with quince cheese - but I think walnuts might be nicer - very good combination with blue cheese. I suppose one could use the q.c. to add to casseroles (good with pheasant or g.fowl or poultry generally).
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