I’ve always been intrigued by Quince Jelly thanks to the wonderful poem ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ by Edward Lear. In it, the protagonists famously “dine on mince and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon”. The magic of the poem has stuck with me since childhood and I was curious to try this sour fruit which resembles a pear.
Of course, because quince is so sour, it is imperative to add sugar to any quince recipe which is exactly what this recipe does. Start by boiling the fruit until you have a type of quince sauce (like applesauce). Strain the sauce through cheesecloth to get quince juice which is then boiled with sugar to create a delicious quince jelly!
To make Quince Jelly, you will need the following ingredients:
In a large pot, bring the quince and the water to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour until the fruit is soft and mushy.
Once the quince is cooked, mash it to create a quince sauce with a consistency like soupy applesauce. Place a double layer of cheesecloth in a colander over a large pot or bowl. Pour the mashed quince into the colander and leave to strain for 2 hours.
As the fruit strains, sterilize the canning jars.
Once you have quince juice, pour it into a large pot. Add ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar per cup of juice.
Bring the jelly to a boil over high heat stirring constantly until the sugar fully dissolves, then stir occasionally.
Spoon or ladle the mixture into four sterilized half-pint jars, leaving ½ an inch of space at the top of each. Wipe the rim of each jar and place the lids on tight.
Place the jars carefully in a canner covered with simmering water. Bring to a boil and process for 5 minutes. Remove the jars of jelly from the canner and allow them to cool completely.
I love to eat this quince jelly slathered on crackers or freshly toasted bread.
Make a batch of Quince Jelly soon - you will absolutely love it! If you make it, please come back to leave a review!
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