Grandma's Quince tree was heavily
pregnant with sun and sweetness... The
branches were weighing down with myriad of fruits and golden rays and we knew
the end of summer was approaching. Their
fragrance was like a tossed blanket, hugging us with every slight breeze and we
were already checking if Mama and Grandma are getting the big pots and jars
ready for the traditional preparing of quince compote, confiture and jelly.
It was a ritual for the family’s matriarchate, executed with precision of military manoeuvres. And when Grandma would take from her old
glory chest the primitive grater she kept from her Great-grandmother, we felt
as we were part of some sacred ceremony…
Now I hold in my hands the same old
weathered primitive grater and I have my two girls tiptoeing on their chairs to
get as high as the table and watch me prepare confiture and jelly. It feels good! And I can’t be happier!
If
you want to pour some “memories from summer” into the jars, here is the recipe –
CONFITURE:
1
½ fruit of quinces grated
1
½ kg sugar
1
litre water
4 table spoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (you
might reduce it to 2 tablespoons, if you are planning on using some pectin-based
jam settings because they already contain some amount of citric acid).
Wash, dry and keep warm in the oven at 100 degrees
Celsius the jars for preserving.
Bring water and sugar to boil and reduce the
heat. Cook until starts to thicken,
about 15 minutes or just check by dropping drop syrup on a clean plate and look
not to spill and keep its shape.
Clean
the quinces from the seeds and skin and keep aside the peels and cores. You will need them for the jelly. Add the grated quinces, which should be
grated just in the last moment so their colour can be intact as much as
possible.
Bring
to boil and boil for another 15 minutes.
Do the drop check and if the drop holds its shape, take the confiture
from the heat; and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Pour into the prepared sterilized jars and
seal immediately.
*If the quantity of sugar is your concern, you can reduce it, but you have to help thicken the jelly with extra pectin. For this amount of syrup 25 grams of pectin will do a great job. Add the pectin in the last 5 minutes, boil it vigorously stirring occasionally.
JELLY:
Peels
and cores from the quinces
1
½ kg sugar
1 ½ water from the boiled peels and cores
4 table spoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (you
might reduce it to 2 tablespoons, if you are planning on using some pectin-based
jam settings because they already contain some amount of citric acid).
Wash, dry and keep warm in the oven at 100 degrees
Celsius the jars for preserving.
Place
in big pot the peels and cores and generously cover with water. Bring to boil and reduce the heat. Let it cook for ½ hour. Drain the water and sift through cheese
cloth. Measure the liquid and for mix
equal quantity of liquid and sugar. You
might choose to have no more than 1 ½ litre of the boiled liquid
mixed with 1 ½ kg of sugar. Boil until
thickens into a syrup.
Bring
to boil and boil for another 15 minutes.
Do the drop check and if the drop holds its shape, take the confiture
from the heat; and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Pour into the prepared sterilized jars and
seal immediately.
*If the quantity of sugar is your concern, you can reduce it, but you have to help thicken the jelly with extra pectin. For this amount of syrup 25 grams of pectin will do a great job. Add the pectin in the last 5 minutes, boil it vigorously stirring occasionally.
Enjoy! Now the only thing you might have to worry
about is getting nice bread and butter for the breakfast tomorrow…
My
very best wishes to you,
Sophia
© 2013 - sophia terra~ziva. all rights reserved
