Recipe for Quince Pâte de Fruit de Coings
I first discovered Quince paste (pâte de fruit) on a charcuterie and cheese board while living in Aix-en-Provence. Since then, I have learned to make my own, to the delight of my dinner guests.
To serve the pâte, cut into squares or wedges and present with Comté, Pecorino Romano, Asiago or Manchego cheese (or other semi-hard cheese) as part of your appetizer spread. For ideas on creating an elegant, informal party, please discover my formula for an Apéro Dînatoire, the epitome of chic cocktails.
Quince Paste - Pâte de Fruit de Coings from Provence
Quince resembles large, tough pears. The cooking time for this recipe will vary depending on the fruit. Serve quince paste (pâte de fruit de coings) with a selection of hard cheeses for an appetizer or an alternative to a sweet dessert.
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Quince cleaned, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
- 1 Vanilla Pod split and scraped
- 1 Lemon for zest
- 1 Lemon for peel
- 2 oz lemon juice
- 3 to 4 cups Granulated Sugar depending on the quantity of puree that is produced
Instructions
- Place quince pieces in a saucepan (8 quarts) and cover with water. Add the vanilla pod & lemon peel and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 40 minutes until the quince pieces are tender.
- Strain the water (and vanilla pod) from the quince pieces. Purée the quince pieces in a food processor. Measure the quince purée. Add an equal amount of sugar to the puree you have created. If you have 3 cups of purée, you'll add 3 cups of sugar.
- Return the quince purée to the saucepan. Heat to medium and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, and then add the lemon juice.
- Cook over low heat, occasionally stirring, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the quince paste is thick and has a deep pink colour.
- Preheat oven to a low 135°F (57°C). Line an 8”x 8” baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with a thin coating of butter. Pour the cooked quince paste into the parchment paper-lined baking pan and spread until it is even.
- Place the paste in the 135°F oven for 60 to 90 minutes or longer to help it dry out. Then, remove from the oven and let the quince paste cool in the refrigerator.
- To serve, cut into squares or wedges and present with Comté, Pecorino Romano, Asiago or Manchego cheese (or other semi-hard cheese) as part of your Apéro Dînatoire.
Notes
Once finished, the paste will keep for a few weeks in the fridge wrapped in clear wrap or a sealed container.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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2 Comments
I love Quince and this recipe for Quince paste is definitely one I’m going to be trying. Perfect for the cheese board.
Thanks for sharing,
Abi x
http://www.thelittlefrenchcottage.com
Thank you, Abi! Enjoy the delicious combination of quince paste with French cheese.