Quince comfit was one of the ways to save the taste of the incomparable fruits through the winter. It is a sweet confectionery and can be stored dry and dark for several years if you don't eat it beforehand. The quince, Latin Cydonia oblonga, belongs to the rose family and is rich in potassium and vitamin C. Hildegard of Bingen was already familiar with its expectorant and anti-inflammatory healing properties. The consumption of quinces helps with bronchitis, colds, cough, intestinal inflammation and diarrhea, as well as with heartburn and gout. The fruits can be easily processed into jelly, jam and liqueur, but I especially love these beautiful yellow autumn fruits as quince comfit with spices such as ginger, cinnamon and pepper.
1 kilogram of quinces, washed and cut into pieces
Water
1 kilogram of preserving sugar with apple pectin
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
About 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1. Wash the quinces thoroughly and remove the fur on the skin.
2. Cut them into pieces, remove the flower roots and stalks, place in a saucepan and just cover with water.
3. Cook the quinces until soft. Let them cool down.
4. Pass the quinces through a pointed sieve to gain the pulp.
5. Weigh the quince puree and place 1: 1 on the stove with the preserving sugar. Add the spices.
6. Let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. If necessary, make a gel test.
7. Pour the mixture about 1 cm high onto a baking sheet or lightly oiled tray, distribute it evenly and leave to dry overnight, preferably near a wood fired stove.
8. The next day, cut the quince bread into diamond shapes and toss them in icing sugar. Spread the comfits on two baking trays. I do not like the crunch of the refined white sugar that’s why I prefer homemade icing sugar made from raw cane sugar.
9. Now turn the quince comfits over and over again for another 3-4 days, if necessary, powdering them with a little more of the icing sugar and let it dry.
10. Store the dry quince comfits in cookie jars with layers of baking or greaseproof paper in between.
11. If they are stored correctly in a dark and dry place, the quince comfits will keep fresh for at least a year.
Tip: If you cook the quinces with their core, the quince bread gels even better.
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