Quince Pâte De Fruit from Provence

Also called “quince cheese” (maybe because it’s so delicious paired with cheese?), Quince Pâte De Fruit is one of the famous 13 desserts, traditionally served to end Christmas supper in Provence, France. It is such a dainty little treat to enjoy on its own or with some crackers and a slice of cheese (but if you want to enjoy it with some cheese, I would recommend you do not coat it in sugar.)

Quince is often referred to as a forgotten fruit, but this recipe is one you won’t forget anytime soon… It is a perfect way to make use of this delicious Fall fruit and enjoy it all winter long.

Cooking notes:

• 10 days of drying for this Quince Pâte de Fruit might seem excessive, but it is essential to reach an optimum texture, for the flavours to fully develop and for the color to become a beautiful, deep orange.

If you try this Quince Pâte De Fruit let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. I’d love to see what you come up with.  

Bon Appétit!

Quince Pâte De Fruit from Provence

Print Recipe

Serves: 24 candie-size cubes Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.6/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

4 large quinces (equivalent of 3 lbs)
6 cups sugar (approx. 3 lbs)

Instructions

Wash and brush the quinces (do not peel them). Cut them in half, remove the seeds, and dice them into big cubes.

In a large pot, bring 1.5 litres of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, dump the quince cubes in it and simmer for 25 minutes - until the fruits are tender.

Remove from the heat, drain the water and puree the quince (with a hand blender) until smooth. Weigh the quince puree and add in the same amount of weight in sugar (put both back into the pot). Bring back to low-heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, mixing occasionally until the mixture separates from the edges of the pot.

Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking pan, to a 1 inch thick layer.

Let the sheet dry during 8 to 10 days, at room temperature (uncovered, but you can place it in a cupboard, for instance).

After the drying period, cut the quince pâte de fruit into cubes or strips.

Optional: for serving, roll each cube into sugar.

Looking for other recipes from Provence? Try these: 

• Garlic-Sage Cure All Soup 
• Vegetable Tian