Membrillo - The Spanish Quince Paste

Membrillo is one of the perfect matches to Manchego cheese. This golden-yellow jelly, prepared from quince and sugar is so dense, that it should be cut with a knife. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (about 1 kg) quince
• grated peel of one lemon
• juice of one lemon
• 2 pounds (about 1 kg) sugar

Preparation:

Wash, peel and core quince. Cut into quarters and put into a pan. Cover with water, add the lemon peel and let simmer for an hour on medium heat until the fruit gets fork tender. Strain the water and puree quince pieces with a blender. 

The exact amount of the sugar depends on the weight of the quince pulp - it should be the same. So measure the pulp and add the same amount of sugar and the lemon juice. Return to the pot and simmer on low heat for an hour, stirring frequently until the color gets deep orange, all the sugar is dissolved and the paste is very thick.

Preheat oven to 125°F (52°C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper and grease paper with a little butter. Pour the paste, smoouth out the top and put into the oven. Let dry for at least an hour. Remove from oven and let cool. Keep in refrigerator. Serve with toasted bread and your favorite cheese.