This is one of the most beautiful marmalades I know of. As the delicate shreds of quince cook, they turn brilliant red and intensify in color as the fruit reduces to a fragrant, shimmering jelly. This preserve is terrific at breakfast or as a filling for Easy Marmalade Tart (page 93). It’s also great paired with slices of Manchego or Cheddar cheese, served with a glass of sherry. This marmalade was inspired by a recipe from Helen Witty’s book Fancy Pantry.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 3 cups (900 g)

　　4 cups (1 liter) water

　　3 cups (600 g) sugar

　　3 large quinces (about 1 pound/450 g), peeled, quartered, cored, and seeded

　　1/2 lemon, preferably organic

　　

Step 1

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a coarse grating disk or on the largest holes of a box grater, shred the quince.

　　

Step 2

Add the grated quince and the lemon half to the boiling sugar mixture. Decrease the heat to medium and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick. Use the wrinkle test (page 256) to judge when the marmalade is done.

　　

Step 3

Remove and discard the lemon half. Ladle the marmalade into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.

　　

Storage

Step 4

The marmalade will keep for at least 6 months in the refrigerator.

　　

tip

Step 5

Quince tend to turn brown as soon as they’re cut. With cooking, any minor discoloration will fade away. But do try to get them into the hot syrup as soon as possible after they’re grated.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.