Quince Jam

 Ingredients: Ingredients for 1 serving: 500 ml water, 600 g quinces weighed after being grated on a large grater (or cut into thin sticks), 1 kg sugar, 100 ml lemon juice, 2-3 cm vanilla bean (or 2 packets of vanilla sugar)

We wash the quinces well under a stream of cold water, taking care to remove the fuzz from their surface. After cleaning them, we grate them on a large grater or, if you prefer, cut them into thin sticks to achieve a pleasant texture for the jam. We squeeze enough lemons to obtain 100 ml of fresh juice, essential for maintaining the vibrant color of the quinces and adding a tangy taste that will balance the sweetness of the sugar.

In an enameled or cast iron pot, we bring 500 ml of water to a boil together with 1 kg of sugar and 100 ml of lemon juice. We stir gently until the sugar completely dissolves. Once we reach the boiling point, we add the grated or cut quinces. It is normal for them to oxidize at first, but do not worry; once they are in the hot syrup, they will regain their attractive color.

After adding the quinces, we cut a piece of about 2-3 cm from a vanilla bean and put it in the pot to infuse the syrup with its delicious aroma. If we do not have a vanilla bean, we can use vanilla sugar, which we add one minute before removing the jam from the heat. We keep the heat medium and stir constantly, making sure the syrup does not stick to the pot.

We continue boiling until the syrup thickens, which means that when we lift the spoon from the pot, we notice that 2 or 3 drops form on its side that fall at once. When the quinces take on a glossy appearance and float beautifully in the syrup, it is time to take the pot off the heat. This is a crucial step, as leaving them too long will darken the quinces, and the jam will acquire a burnt sugar taste.

After removing the pot from the heat, we skim the contents to remove impurities. Then, we cover the pot with a cloth dampened in cold water, well wrung, to prevent a crust from forming. If the cloth dries too quickly, we dampen it again and repeat this process. We let the jam cool completely in the pot; usually, I leave it overnight, and in the morning, I find it has set perfectly.

Once the jam has cooled, we transfer it to clean, dry jars. We seal the jars well and place them in the pantry, where they will be preserved to delight us with their sweet and aromatic taste throughout the winter. This quince jam is not only delicious but also an excellent way to preserve the taste of autumn for the cold days.

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