Quince Jam

I have a Quince tree which I have never used the fruit from. The fruits are hard and fairly mild tasting. My Great-Grandmother Mina used to make Quince Jam which I loved. When we went to the Amish area, I bought some and found I still love it so now I will work on making it. Life is interesting. I didn't even know that it was a Greek dish in spite of the fact that I lived among the Greeks for so many years. They had it but so did we.

Marmalatha Kythoni: Quince Jam
From Nancy Gaifyllia

In Greek: μαρμαλάδα κυδώνι, pronounced mahr-mah-LAH-thah kee-THOH-nee

This jam is all natural: no additives, no preservatives. Quinces, sugar, and a little lemon juice create a light jam, perfect for toast, as a filling for croissants, and as a condiment. Don't throw out the liquid from the first boil. Use it to make Quince Jelly. Quince is a member of the rose family and to me, tastes the way I think roses would taste.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 pounds of quince
1 3/4 pounds of sugar (just under 4 cups)
4 tablespoons of water + 1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Preparation:
Note: To change quantities: 2 parts peeled and seeded quince to 1 part sugar, by weight.
Clean the quince the way you would an apple, peeling and removing the seeds. Cut into small chunks and put into a bowl of water. Quince will turn dark if not covered with water. Drain and transfer to a pot with water just to the top of the quince. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 30 minutes, turn off heat, and leave the pot on the stove for 30 minutes.

Drain off liquid into another pot to make Quince Jelly or discard.

Place fruit in the food processor bowl with 4 tablespoons of water and pulp for 8 seconds. The consistency should be similar to chunky applesauce. Transfer to a large saucepan, add sugar and 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking and browning. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the jam melds, excess liquid cooks off, and the jam drops from a spoon in chunks.

Add lemon juice, stir for 5 minutes, and remove from heat. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer to jars with airtight lids. When the jam has cooled completely, seal the jars. The jam can be stored for up to a year and the color of the jam will darken over time to varying shades of red.

Yield: about 3-4 cups

Note: If the jam starts sticking to the pan and browning, remove from heat immediately and pour into a bowl. Use a spoon to remove brown parts, transfer to a clean pot and continue to cook.
In Greece, we cook lamb and pork with quince, so the taste of this jam goes well as a condiment with lamb and pork roasts.

Kythoni Polto: Quince Jelly
From Nancy Gaifyllia,







In Greek: κυδώνι πολτό, pronounced kee-THOH-nee pohl-TOH

Make this recipe with the liquid from Quince Jam. Because quinces have high pectin content, it will set to a jelly without any additives. Serve as jelly on toast and breads, and as a spoon sweet.

Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 measures of liquid from the Quince Jam recipe by quantity (not weight)
1 measure of sugar by quantity (not weight)
lemon juice
Preparation:
Note: If using the recipe for Quince Jam here on the site, you will start with approximately 3 1/2 cups of liquid, 1 3/4 cups of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Strain the liquid into a large saucepan, stir in sugar and boil over high heat until it melds to a steady-drip syrup, about 20-30 minutes. The quantity will reduce to about 1 cup. Skim off any foam and pour into a jar with an airtight lid. When completely cooled, seal.

This is a small quantity, but quite sweet with a delightful taste of roses.