Quince paste
This traditional French "pâte de fruit" (fruit paste or leather) has a distinctive, firm consistency and is full of flavour, with the characteristic tang of quince.
The preparation is rather long, but the result is well worth all the effort.
The preparation is rather long, but the result is well worth all the effort.
49 K 4/5 (5 reviews)
2 hours 3 min.
Easy
900 g
5 IngredientsLast modified on: December 3rd 2017
For 900 g, you will need:
- 1
800 g quince - 2
½ lemon - 3
450 g granulated sugar - 4
30 g jam sugar - 5
1 orange (optional) - Total weight: 1,345 grams
Change these quantities to make:
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Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Resting: 1 hour
Cooking: 30 min.
All in all: 2 hours 3 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 3 min.
Wash and brush 800 g quinces, but do not peel, as the skin add to the flavour.
Stage 2 - 8 min.
Cut the quinces into quarters, then remove and discard the core. Cut each quarter into small pieces.
Put the quince pieces into a saucepan, add ½ lemon cut into 4 and just enough water to cover.
Note: From 800g of quinces, you should be left with 500 g of cut fruit.
Put the quince pieces into a saucepan, add ½ lemon cut into 4 and just enough water to cover.
Note: From 800g of quinces, you should be left with 500 g of cut fruit.
Stage 3 - 20 min.
Put the pan uncovered on medium heat and cook until the fruit is soft enough for the point of a knife to go through it easily.
Stage 4 - 5 min.
After cooking, discard the lemon pieces and pass the quinces through a vegetable mill on "fine" setting.
Do not throw away the cooking liquid.
Do not throw away the cooking liquid.
Stage 5 - 3 min.
Transfer the quince pulp into a saucepan and weigh it (from 500 g cut fruit, you should be left with about 350 g of cooked pulp).
Weigh 30% of this weight in cooking liquid (100 g here), then mix this with the quince pulp.
You can add the zest of 1 orange at this point.
Weigh 30% of this weight in cooking liquid (100 g here), then mix this with the quince pulp.
You can add the zest of 1 orange at this point.
Stage 6 - 3 min.
Weigh 450 g granulated sugar (this should be the same wieght as the mixture of fruit pulp and cooking liquid).
Take out 50 g of this sugar at mix it separately with the 30 g jam sugar.
Take out 50 g of this sugar at mix it separately with the 30 g jam sugar.
Stage 7 - 4 min.
Put the saucepan on high heat and bring to the boil, then tip in the 50 g of sugar with its gelling agent.
Stage 8 - 3 min.
Mix well, bring back to the boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stage 9 - 1 min.
Add the rest of the sugar all at once.
Stage 10 - 3 min.
Mix well, bring back to the boil and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stage 11 - 1 hour
Pour into a mould or tin, lined with a sheet of cooking parchment.
Leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
Leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
Stage 12 - 10 min.
Turn out and cut into pieces about the size of a sugar cube.
Stage 13
You can make the paste look more attractive by rolling the pieces in a little granulated sugar, but this is not essential.
Remarks
This is a very ancient sweetmeat, particularly appreciated at the French court during the Renaissance. It was apparently a favourite of both Marie de' Medici and the Duc de Guise.
Keeping: Several days (weeks, even) in the fridge, covered with plastic film.
Source: From gaston Lenôtre, but dedicated to Isabelle and Patrick who will recognise something of themselves here..
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 7 RDI=3 % | 610 RDI=60 % | 4 RDI=1 % | 2,490 RDI=130 % | 10,430 RDI: 130 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 50 RDI=4 % | 0 | 190 RDI=9 % | 780 RDI: 9 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 900 g : £1.85
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Quince
Like these other recipes: Quince jelly, Confit of quinces in Macvin, Quince compote, Quince and apple compote, ... See them all 4
Granulated sugar
Like these other recipes: Kouign-amann brioche, Windfall apple jelly, Diamond biscuits, Candied grapefruit peel, Fruit paste : Blackcurrant, ... See them all 7
Jam sugar
Like these other recipes: Macarons (the original French macaroons) , Fillings for macaroons, Clementine sorbet, ... See them all 3
Lemon
Like these other recipes: Apricot jelly, Stewed plums, Fillet of salmon meunière, Tagliatelle and courgette spaghetti, carbonara style, Fish in white wine, ... See them all 121
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