Pâte de Coings (Quince Cheese) with a Cheese Course
Pâte de coings is a Provencal mother's tried and true method. Pâte de coings, or quince cheese, is a traditional Provençale recipe, which takes time to make. This thick jelly is lovely served alone or with aged Compté cheese. It's also one of the 13 traditional Christmas desserts served in France.
Equipment
- immersion blender or food mill
Ingredients
- 3-4 quince ripe
- water
- 2 cups sugar or a mix of white and brown. The exact amount is determined after you have a purée.
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1 lemon for juice and zest
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 clove optional
Instructions
- Cored and cut the quince into cubes, leaving the peel on.
- Add just enough water to cover the quince cubes in a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinces are soft.
- Drain off excess water and put the mixture through a food mill or handheld blender, blending it into a soft, smooth consistency.
- Add as much white sugar as possible, or a mix of white and brown, to the quince purée. This requires weighing or a good eyeball estimation. You want an equal amount of sugar by weight to the quince purée.
- Reheat this mixture to a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
- Add 1/2 vanilla bean, the juice of 1 lemon and lemon zest, crushed seeds of 2 cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick and/or 1 clove. Heat until the mixture thickens and turns slightly red in colour. (Note: Some quince varieties remain yellow.)
- Remove the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick.
- Scoop the mixture into a shallow square Pyrex or a 2-inch shallow plate lined with parchment paper. Cover with parchment paper and set aside in a cool place for a few days, not in the fridge, as it won’t set up properly. It will harden a bit and should be a bit softer than gummy bear consistency but firmer than jello when ready.
- Cut into cubes or slices to serve.
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