Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Makes 5 large jars
- 5 large quinces (2.5 kg / 5.5 lb whole, 1.7 kg / 3.75 lb peeled)
- 1.1 kg (5½ cups) sugar (light brown sugar for me)
- 5 whole cloves
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Quince jam is one of the must-haves of the Rosh Hashanah season, and it is always on our holiday table.
In a large Dutch oven, boil the whole quinces for 15 to 20 minutes (this makes them easy to peel). Drain them (but keep the cooking water) and drop them into cold water to cool.
Peel the quinces and cut them into pieces, keeping the trimmings (peel + cores): they contain natural pectin, which is what will give you jelly. Put the quince cores and seeds in a piece of cheesecloth, tie it closed, then return it to the cooking water with the quince pieces, with just enough cooking water to barely cover them.
Cook for about 30 minutes with the cloves, lemon juice, vanilla extract (and the cinnamon, if using). Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat so it stays at a simmer and cover. After 30 minutes, add the sugar. Then keep simmering for another 1 hour 30 minutes. The jam should be a deep red and the liquid should “bead,” meaning it forms a drop when you place a little on the edge of a plate.
Pour into sterilized jars (you can strain it first to remove the cloves).
Quince jam is delicious spread on toast, or on a wonderful cake, boulou or bouscoutou, also traditional for Rosh Hashanah.
Tips
- You can keep some of the strained juice, without any pieces, and cook it a little longer to reduce; as it cools, you will get quince jelly.
- If you cook it in a Ninja or Cookeo (multicooker), at step 2, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Set the quinces aside and, if needed, reduce the juice in sauté mode for about 10 minutes.