Baked Quinces

Quinces are not the prettiest of fruits, they're knobbly, difficult to peel, rock hard and have a tendancy to turn brown very quickly once peeled. Having said this they are one of my favorite Autumn fruits and with a little patience and preparation, baked quinces have an unbelievably intense, delicious flavour and will go from being similar in colour to that of a pear, to a gorgeous deep ruby red colour.

When I say patience I do mean patience. It's only over a long, slow cooking time that quinces will soften and develop a deep ruby red appearance. The magnificent sweet and spice aroma's that will fill the house during this lengthy baking process are a reward in itself.

I first tried these particular baked quinces at 'Getrude Street Enoteca' in Fitzroy, served as part of a cheese platter. They are extremely versatile in that they can be used in various desserts, Middle Eastern dishes, as an accompaniment to meats such as pork or duck, or one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is simply with muesli & yogurt or porridge during the winter months.

Baked Quinces - Bridgett Hafner (Owner - 'Gertrude St Enoteca' Fitzroy)

4 cups sugar

8 cups water

6 star anise

2 cinnamon quills

peel of 1 orange

2 vanilla beans, split in half

1 tsp cloves

6 quinces

Combine the sugar and water with spices and orange peel, bring to the boil and stir. Turn off heat when sugar has dissolved. Pre heat oven to 16oc.

Peel, core and quarter the quinces, but do not discard the skins and cores. Lay the quartered quinces in a deep oven proof dish and pour over the sugar syrup. If you have a muslin cloth lay it over the quinces, then scatter over the peel and cores to save picking them out when cooked and cooled. The peel and cores will help set and colour the quinces.

Cover with baking paper and a sheet of foil, tucked in at the sides. Cook 4-5 hours or until the quinces are a deep rosy red.

Cool in syrup, then place the quince quarters in jars without the skins and cores and cover with the strained liquid. They will keep in a fridge for weeks.