Quince Sambucca – Russian quince mousse

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 350 g quince pulp
• 100 ml white port wine
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 star anise
• 5 carnations
• 6 sheets of gelatin
• 1 shot of schnapps (quince spirit or apricot schnapps)
• 3 egg whites
• 6 walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 30 minutes

elegant use of leftovers for protein, intense fruit flavor

In Russian cuisine, sambuk is a generic term for fruit jelly. In this version, the sambuk is whipped with egg white to form a mousse. Peel the quinces, remove the core, and dice 350 grams of the pulp. Cover and simmer over low heat with three tablespoons of sugar, the port wine, star anise, and cloves for ten to fifteen minutes, until the quinces are soft. Strain through a sieve and reserve the liquid. Discard the spices and finely puree the quinces. Then let cool. Soften the gelatin and dissolve it in the heated, but not boiling, port wine syrup. Mix the solution with the quince puree and stir in the egg white. Season to taste with quince brandy or apricot brandy. Beat with a mixer until the mixture has more than doubled in volume and firm waves form on the surface when beaten. If desired, you can also fold in whipped sweet cream. The fruit flavor will then be less intense. Pour into bowls and let them set in the refrigerator for four hours. To serve, place the bowls in hot water for a few seconds and then turn them out onto a plate. Garnish the sambuk with chopped walnuts, for example.