Easy Quince Jam. A smooth and delicious jam made of quince, sugar, and lemon juice. A Fall treat that you can enjoy every time of the year in a jam form, to spread on toast, on your crostata, or as an accompaniment to your cheese board.
Song of the day: The Long Way Home - Norah Jones
Quince is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits (Wiki). This Autumn apple has a hard and somewhat fuzzy skin and an uninviting appearance, however, when cooked, they are excellent for jams, jellies, and mustards.
Quince
Quince is harvested in October when it's ripe and has a characteristic intense yellow color and a beautiful smell. It is a very delicate fruit that spoils really easily. If kept in a cool, dark and dry place, though, quince can be kept for several weeks. Quince is rich in pectin and therefore ideal for the preparation of jams and jellies.
Family Memories
For a long time, these fruits that resemble a strange cross between an apple and a pear were not eaten but were intended for other purposes. In many houses, as well as mine in Italy, they were used for their fragrance to perfume wardrobes and drawers. It was a long time before the peasant families tried to use quince in the kitchen, giving life to a long tradition of jams and preserves.
My father, the jam master in our house in Italy, has been making Quince Jam for many years and as a matter of fact, while I was in my kitchen in Canada making my quince jam, he was also in his kitchen doing the same, making Marmellata di Mele Cotogne. This is his recipe, the only thing I changed, I reduced the amount of sugar. His ratio is 1:1 which means for every kilo of quince puree he adds 1 kg of sugar.
How to Make Quince Jam
- Thoroughly wash the quince under cold running water and scrub well to remove all the fuzz. Don't peel them. The skin of the quince is a source of pectin, a natural thickener that facilitates the gelling of jam.
- Cut them in slices using a sharp knife because their skin is very hard. Quince pulp blackens quickly, so as you peel them, place them in a big bowl with water and lemon juice to slow down the oxidation process.
- Next, boil the sliced quince in just enough water to cover them.
- Remove the now soft pieces of quince from the water and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer to obtain a puree.
- The hard parts will stay in the food mill and you will be left with a smooth quince purée.
- Once you have the quince purée, weigh it and calculate 500 g of sugar per kilo of purée obtained.
- Transfer the purée to a dutch oven or a pot with a heavy bottom. Add sugar and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the jam reaches the desired density. During cooking, remember to stir the jam often with a spatula or a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- Ladle or funnel the hot quince jam into sterilized hot jars, leaving 1 cm from the edge. Wipe the rim, and seal tight with the lids.
Quince Jam
Once cooked, quinces release an intense sweetness and delightful honey and vanilla fragrance with a backdrop of citrus which makes it very intriguing. Quince Jam has a lovely texture, kind of like a thickened applesauce. The color has a rich golden hue that will be able to brighten the gloomiest of winter days.
The properties of Quince Jam
Quince Jam is rich in fiber. It mainly supplies simple carbohydrates while fats and proteins are not present in relevant quantities. Cholesterol is absent. Compared to other jams, Quince Jam is generally less caloric. Furthermore, this jam is suitable -more than any other jam- for those suffering from constipation. Moreover, it has a relaxing effect great for combating stress.
Quince Jam is perfect to:
- accompany cheeses, both aged, or fresh;
- pair with chicken, turkey, or pork either during cooking, or as a sauce to accompany the dish;
- fill cakes, cookies, and tarts.
If you're at your local Farmer's Market and your eyes are captured by these interesting looking fruit, grab a basket and try this jam.
Update one year later using more sugar
As a matter of fact, this year I made quince jam again with quinces found at the same stand at the same farmer's market. In this case, I decided to follow my father's recipe thoroughly and use the same amount of sugar and quince puree (1:1). This caused the jam to be sweeter of course, but also thicker and more orangy in color. While still being delicious, to my taste, the quince jam done this way is a little too sweet and also too solid; I prefer my jams on the runnier side and not very sweet.
Easy Quince Jam
Easy Quince Jam. A smooth and delicious jam made of quince, sugar, and lemon juice. A Fall treat that you can enjoy every time of the year in a jam form, to spread on toast, on your crostata, or as an accompaniment to your cheese board.
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 small jars 1x
Ingredients
- 6 quince, 1170 g, washed, scrubbed, cored, and sliced, made 760 g of quince puree
- 380 g sugar (that is half the weight of the quince puree)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 lemon, halved and squeezed for the acidulated water
Instructions
- Wash jars in hot, soapy water, and rinse well. Then place the jars and lids on a baking sheet in the oven at 220° F to dry. Leave them in the oven until you need them.
- Thoroughly wash the quince under cold running water and scrub well to remove all the fuzz. Don’t peel them. The skin of quince is a source of pectin, a natural thickener that facilitates the gelling of jam.
- Meanwhile, prepare a big bowl of acidulated water: squeeze the lemon in the water and leave the halves inside.
- Cut the quinces in half, core them, and cut them in slices using a sharp knife because their skin is very hard. Quince pulp blackens quickly, so as you peel them, place them in the prepared bowl with water and lemon to slow down the oxidation process.
- Next, once all the quince is sliced, remove the slices from the acidulated water and place them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Boil the sliced quince on medium/low until they are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
- Then, once soft, drain them and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer to obtain a puree. The hard parts will stay in the food mill and you will be left with a smooth quince puree.
- Once you have the quince puree, weigh it and calculate 500 g of sugar per kilo of purée obtained (that means the sugar is half the weight of the quince puree).
- Transfer the puree to a dutch oven or a pot with a heavy bottom. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the jam starts bubbling slowly and it has not yet reached a thick density. It will dense up in the jar. During cooking, remember to stir the jam often with a spatula or a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- Ladle or funnel the hot quince jam into the sterilized hot jars leaving 1 cm from the edge. Wipe the rim and seal tight with the lids.
- Label the jars and store them in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep it sealed in the fridge.
Notes
Since quince easily oxidizes once in contact with air, place the slices in a bowl with water and lemon juice as you finish cutting them all.
The skin of quince is a source of pectin, a natural thickener that facilitates the gelling of jam. For this reason, it is recommended not to peel the quinces and to prefer organic fruit.
Store your quince jam jars in a cool, dry, and dark place. Don't forget to add a label indicating the name and date of creation. Once opened, keep in the fridge.
If you want a sweeter and thicker jam, with a more orangy color, you can change the ratio of quince puree/sugar and go up to 1:1 (that means the same amount of sugar and quince puree).
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Jams
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: quince, jam, healthy, canning, homemade, lemon juice, Italian, Fall
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Milena says
This post brings so many memories to me! My grandparents had a massive quince tree in their front yard and come fall there were always bowls full of fruit around the house - the aromas were out of this world good. Then jams, compotes and confitures were made by the whole family! Love qyince jam. So looking forward to making some - thank you for the reminder.
★★★★★
Thank you, Milena! They have such a wonderful, distinct fragrance! I love my dad's jam because he puts a lot of sugar and it gets thicker and more gelatinous, but or me, I try to reduce a bit of that sugar and it's still pretty good. Hope you give it a try!
Ann says
I have a favorite mac and cheese recipe that has a layer of quince jam and caramelized onion on the bottom. It is totally delicious because quince jam and cheese are just amazing together, as you noted. But I always have trouble finding quince jam. So now I know how to make it myself! Woohoo!!
★★★★★
Wow, that mac and cheese sounds amazing! Yes, quince jam and cheese go so well together. Thank you!
Michelle says
I love quince jam, I usually serve it with a cheeseboard. I've never made my own though, this recipe is perfect for me! I love the step by step photos and all the detail in your recipe I'm sure to succeed, I can't wait to try and make it myself now!
★★★★★
Thank you, Michelle! Quince jam is good with cheese, but it also makes the perfect filling for the Italian crostata. So good! Hope you make it and let me know.
Talia S says
I’m very very disappointed. I tried to make this jam and everything went well until I tried to cook it. It burnt immediately, and there was nothing I could do to save it. I stirred it but it didn’t stop it from burning. How did other people make this work?
I am sorry to hear that. I know how disappointing it is when a recipe doesn't turn out. However, I just can't figure out how it would burn immediately. Something that comes to mind is that the pan was already heated up before putting the puree and sugar in, or the heat was too high, or lastly the sugar amount was too much. I sure hope you try it again, and if you have any other questions please feel free to ask.
Talia S says
I think you might be right then. The recipe was very easy and it did seem to work out for everyone else, so I might just have to be more careful and aware of it all next time. Thanks for the suggestions!
Wendy says
I made the quince jam and it is delicious but more like a quince butter or thick applesauce. It did not turn a rosy pink color but stayed golden yellow. Why is that? I kept wanting itto turn pink
Hi! Thank you for trying our recipe! Mine turned a pinkish color and got thicker after sitting in the jars for 1-2 weeks. The other reason could be the amount of sugar. My father in Rome who gave me the recipe uses 700 g of sugar for 1 kilogram of apples, while I only use 500 g to cut down on the sugar. I am pretty sure, though, that even your color will turn a little pink just after 1 week.
zeph says
I found quince growing in a neighbor's yard, so with their permission, I took the windfall. The fruit had already fallen off. I tried to make poached quince quarters but the fruit turned to mush as soon as it started cooking. So I just continued to cok it for hours, and it turned into a lovely red fruit 'butter' that even with double the sugar the recipe called for, could still strip varnish, it's so tart. Every recipe I had read said quince turns rosy red upon cooking, and it did, and I wonder why your picture shows it to be yellow. Evedyrecipe said it tasted great, but... maybe not so much. Not sure what I did wrong.
I Zeph, I made the jam again this year and the recipe works like a charm. It is delicious and not tart at all. This time I used the same amount of sugar and quince puree to see if it came thicker and more orange in flavor. And it did, but I still prefer it with less sugar. I am sorry to hear you had problems, I do not know what could have gone wrong.
Vince Fukes says
About to make this recipe later today, with about 5 - 6 kg of quinces from my tree, then fill numerous jars. Hopefully, they will be saleable quality.
Having read several recipes and checked my own notes from last year, this by far seems the most practical, and the only one that mentions the pectin in the skin. And yes I will tag you for Insta !
★★★★★
Thank you for your comment! If you read my update, I've made it again this year and up the amount of sugar, from half to almost 1:1. You could even go 70 % of sugar, seems a good compromise. Let me kow how it goes, I have 3 jars left and that's it 😉 .
Heidi Mumford says
Hi There! I'm eager to try your recipe - do the jars need to be boiled after sealing?
Thx,
Heidi
Hi! I don't boil them after sealing because, being a small batch, I usually use them in a short period of time. If you think you are preserving them for long, add that extra step.