Quince Jam, a delicious homemade jam made with fresh seasonal fruit for a fantastic spread that tastes like heaven. It’s so easy to make, and uses only 3 ingredients: quinces, sugar and lemon juice. It might not be the most popular jam to find in stores, but its unique flavour makes me fall in love with it every single time I have it.
Another reason to love Fall! These beautiful quinces are in season in October, and have a gorgeous golden yellow colour with a fine grey-white hair that can be easily removed with a clean cloth. Raw, they might not be the sweetest fruit, in fact they are tart and hard to chew, but once cooked either in a jam or just poached, they become deliciously sweet.
They also change their colour from yellow to a deep orange, and become so soft they almost melt in the mouth. Not sure about other places, but in Romania we absolutely adore this fruit, and cannot image Autumn without it. And quince jam is adored by everyone, at least my mum makes it every single year without fail.
And now it is my turn to share this fantastic jam recipe. Since quinces are high in pectin, there is no need for jam sugar, but the regular white granulated sugar.
The lemon juice helps them keep their shape after cooking for a long time, and adds a nice zesty touch, I highly recommend using it. I usually use the juice only, but the zest can also be added if you want.
HOW TO MAKE QUINCE JAM
Unlike my Old-Fashioned Wild Blackberry Jam which didn’t need any more liquid added, since they have a high water content, quinces are pretty dry and can’t cook without a bit of help, so a syrup needs to be made before adding the fruit to cook.
- remove the fine hair on the outside of the quinces, core and quarter them
- add the lemon juice and mix well
- either use a sharp knife or a veggie cutter to cut them into small cubes
- add the water and sugar to a large pan and bring it to a boil
- when the sugar is dissolved, add the quinces cut into cubes and leave to cook on a low to medium heat until the fruit is soft and has a deep orange colour, and the liquid has the consistency of a thick syrup, similar to runny honey
- sterilise the jars, and add the hot jam to the jars, making sure they lids are closed very tight
- turn the jars upside down and allow them to cool completely
Once the jam cools down it will reach the right consistency; the jam is thick, but easy to spread.
WHAT TO USE THE JAM FOR
I just adore this quince jam spread on toast with butter – you can’t get a better breakfast or brunch. Give me a cup of tea as well, and I am a very happy bunny.
Its consistency also makes it ideal for spreading on scones, or using it in all sorts of cookies or cakes – with the Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies or Bow Tie Cookies (2 Ways) being the best examples here. Unlike other runny jams, this one keeps its shape very well and doesn’t spread horribly wrong.
If closed properly, the jars of jam should last for long just stored in your pantry, otherwise, if you plan to consume it rather quickly, you can store it in the fridge.
And that’s my favourite jam done – what a joy!
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Quince Jam, a delicious homemade jam made with fresh seasonal fruit for a fantastic spread that tastes like heaven. It's so easy to make, and uses only 3 ingredients: quinces, sugar and lemon juice. It might not be the most popular jam to find in stores, but its unique flavour makes me fall in love with it every single time I have it. The quince jam is amazing in cookies or cakes too.
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Remove the fine hair on the quinces (if there is any), wash and core.
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Cut into small cubes, then add the lemon juice and mix everything well.
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In a large pan, add the water and sugar, and bring to a boil over a low to medium heat.
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When the sugar is dissolved, add the quince cubes, and leave to cook for about 2 hours or until the quinces are soft and turned into a deep orange colour, and the liquid has the consistency of honey.
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Wash 3 or 4 jam jars, and add them to the oven set at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 5 minutes, then add the hot jam and close the lids tightly.
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Turn the jars upside down and leave to cool completely.
