Quince jam with Porto à la Anita

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 3 kg quince(s), fresh
• 500 g gelling sugar, 2:1
• 100 ml port wine (to taste)
• 1 pinch of clove(s), grated (to taste)
• 2 pinches allspice, grated (to taste)
• 200 ml water, e.g. cooking

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

Original creation, great gift for gourmets!

Quince jelly is boring and disgustingly sloppy. Here’s one of my own ingenious quince jam creations. Peel and core the quinces, and cut them into small pieces. Bring to a boil in a large pot with 1/3 (by volume) water. This also works very well in a pressure cooker. Without a pressure cooker, however, cook in a closed pot at max. medium heat, making sure there’s enough water and adding more if necessary to prevent the quinces from burning. Cook in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes, or in a normal pot for probably 30 minutes, until really soft. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and use a heat-resistant hand blender to make a smooth, even mousse without lumps. In a pinch, you can also use a good blender, but you’ll probably need a bit more water. Now to taste: mix the gelling sugar with 1 liter of the quince mousse as directed on the package. Before the end of the cooking time, season with port wine, freshly grated cloves, and allspice. The above quantities are rough guidelines. The port gives the sweet mousse character, but the alcohol should not dominate, but rather be integrated (cook thoroughly). The spices “stop” and balance the flavor. (If you like, you can add a tiny bit of freshly grated nutmeg.) While the jam is cooking, carefully warm three clean jars to hot water in the sink, then place them in 5-6 liters of boiling water and pour boiling water over them. Pour the cooked jam into freshly emptied jam jars, seal tightly, and label later. The jam spreads creamily on bread and is a true delight. Tip: You should make a party out of cooking quinces, as peeling them is very laborious and tough on your tendons. (Important: razor-sharp knives.) This is all much more fun when you can chat and take turns. The long preparation time is due solely to the effort of peeling.