I love Quince!

Take the kernells out of eight great Quinces, and boile them in a quart of spring water, till it come to a pinte, then put into it a quarter of a pinte of Rosewater, and one pound of fine Sugar, and so let it boile till you see it come to bee of a deepe colour: then take a drop, and drop it on the bottome of a sawcer,

Then let it run through a gelly bagge into a bason, then set it in your bason upon a chafing dish of coles to keep it warm, then take a spoone, and fill your boxes as full as you please, and when they be colde cover them: and if you please to printe it in moldes, you must have moldes made to the bigness of your boxe, and wet your moldes with Rosewater, and so let it run into your mold, and when it is colde turne it off into your boxes.

If you wette your moldes with water, your gelly will fall out of them.

The key to membrillo is time. Simmer the quinces for at least three hours until they became a deep pink colour. The final stage is a long process too. Simmer the quince pulp and sugar gently (lowest setting) for a good 2-3 hours to intensify the colour and thicken the pulp to the right consistency. There is no need to bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

This is a recipe that is spread over two evenings. One evening simmer the quinces and strain overnight. The next evening make the membrillo.

What you need
For the quince pulp:

* 1 kilo of quinces
* Zest of half a lemon
* Water to cover

For the membrillo

* Quince pulp
* Juice of half a lemon
* Granulated (not castor) white sugar (equal volume to the pulp)

Step One

* Rub the down off the quinces and wash them. There's no need to peel or core them.

* Always chop quinces carefully, it's easy for the knife to slip - chop into quarters and slice to about 1cm pieces.

* Put the slices in a large saucepan, add water so that they are just floating. Add the zest of half a lemon.

* Bring slowly to the boil and then turn the heat down to lowest setting so that the quinces gently simmer (lid on). Simmer the fruit until very soft and the fruit has turned a deep pink colour. About 3 hours. Check the quinces every now and then and top up the water if necessary.

* Strain the juice from the fruit overnight using a jelly bag or muslin square. (Keep the juice to make quince jelly).

Step Two

* Measure the pulp using a measuring jug and place in a large heavy bottomed saucepan, add an equal volume of white granulated sugar. Add the juice of half a lemon.

* Bring the pulp and sugar gradually to simmering point, stirring to dissolve the sugar and let it simmer, lowest setting for 2-3 hours, stirring every now and then to stop it sticking and burning.

Gradually the colour will darken. Simmer until the mixture is so thick that if you scrape a wooden spoon through it, the purée parts and leaves a clean line at the bottom of the pan.

You need to stir frequently and get well into the edges of the pan to make sure you don't leave bits that could stick and burn, and be careful not to get splashed by hot, bursting bubbles of purée. Eventually the fruit will become very thick

Spread the mixture into lightly oiled dishes or moulds, or pot in clean, sterilised jars.

The membrillo will set firm as it cools, and will keep for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Cut slices to eat with cheese or cold meat. Refrigerate after opening.

This cake is unbelievably delicious! Sometimes I use a cake mixture when I don't have time (or can't be bothered) baking the cake from scratch. My friends can't tell the difference :)

Many references in ancient texts were mis-translated to "apple", such as the fruit in Song of Solomon.

Among the ancient Greeks, the quince was a ritual offering at weddings, for it had come from the Levant with Aphrodite and remained sacred to her. Plutarch reports that a Greek bride would nibble a quince to perfume her kiss before entering the bridal chamber, "in order that the first greeting may not be disagreeable nor unpleasant".

It was a quince that Paris awarded Aphrodite (and resulted in the Trojan War) and it was for a golden quince that Atalanta paused in her race.