Hello everyone. April is here - it is autumn in Australia with warm days and cool cold nights and mornings. And time for my yearly bake of the quince pie.
Have you tasted quinces? They were mentioned in the poem The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear...........
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.............
.........They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,..........
Source: Poetry Foundation.Org
I am so lucky to have a quince tree in my yard. Well not luck really, I bought it especially because I love quinces, and even though it is a small tree, ever since we have had it it has produced loads of quinces. You cannot eat them raw, as they are rock hard, but when cooked they are delicious and send the most beautiful aroma around the house.
Of course, it all starts with the bees.
These days we bag our quinces to keep the fruit fly off. You know the quinces are ripe when with a little twist they will pop of the tree.
The fruit is rock hard and cannot be eaten raw. Wash off the fury covering, then peel, and core and slice. Cover them with water as you are preparing them, as they brown quickly.
They need to be cooked gently over a low heat with a little water and sugar.
For about 4-5 quinces - peel, core and quarter the quinces (or thinner slices if large quinces).
Put in an oven-proof dish, with juice and jest of 2 lemons and 1 orange (although I found that just one lemon was enough)
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks (1 is enough)
1 and a quarter cups of raw sugar
and about 500 mls boiling water, enough to cover the fruit. (quantity dependent on the number and size of the quinces you have).
Put in an oven-proof dish, with juice and jest of 2 lemons and 1 orange (although I found that just one lemon was enough)
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks (1 is enough)
1 and a quarter cups of raw sugar
and about 500 mls boiling water, enough to cover the fruit. (quantity dependent on the number and size of the quinces you have).
Cover the quince in the dish with a piece of damp baking paper. Bake at 170 C for about 2 hours. You can leave in the oven another half an hour with the oven turned off.
4-5 quinces, poached as above (depending on the size of your pie plate)
1 x 26cm unbaked tart shell
2 eggs
half cup of sugar
50g flour
125g butter, cooked until golden brown and then cooled. (though I don't really do this - I just melt the butter, simmer for a few minutes, then cool)
Drain the quinces and lay them in the tart shell. Reserve the juice. Beat the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy, fold in the flour and lastly stir in the browned butter. Pour over the quinces and bake in a 180C oven until golden brown and set - about forty minutes.
Make a sauce with the reserved juice. Add some cornflour to thicken. You don't really need to add any more sugar, as there was sugar added when you cooked the quince.
1 x 26cm unbaked tart shell
2 eggs
half cup of sugar
50g flour
125g butter, cooked until golden brown and then cooled. (though I don't really do this - I just melt the butter, simmer for a few minutes, then cool)
Drain the quinces and lay them in the tart shell. Reserve the juice. Beat the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy, fold in the flour and lastly stir in the browned butter. Pour over the quinces and bake in a 180C oven until golden brown and set - about forty minutes.
Make a sauce with the reserved juice. Add some cornflour to thicken. You don't really need to add any more sugar, as there was sugar added when you cooked the quince.
Serve the pie at room temperature with a dollop of cream and a drizzle of sauce. Delicious!
You could also make this pie with other fruits ie apples, pears, peaches, apricots.
You could also make this pie with other fruits ie apples, pears, peaches, apricots.
Sit back and enjoy the compliments.
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This last weekend has been Easter. A time for reflection, hope and renewal. I wish for you all peace around the world. I hope you have had time with family or friends, or just doing something that makes you happy. We have had a few family gatherings, so my heart is full.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Have you tasted quince?
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I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
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Until then, enjoy your day...Life only comes around once, so do what makes you happy and be with people who make you smile.
