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Dulce de Membrillo Quince Paste

Published: Oct 6, 2022 · Modified: Jan 12, 2024 by Pilar Hernandez · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Versión en español

I grew up eating homemade Dulce de membrillo or quince paste, a flavor I love. Here in the USA, you can buy quince paste from the Goya brand or import from Spain or other countries, and it is ok, but it does not have the same texture as homemade.
Homemade Quince PasteThe industrial paste is generally more homogeneous and smooth; the homemade has more texture; you can feel the essence of the quince. If you want a smooth homemade quince paste, pass it through a fine sieve.

The color is another consideration. If you use ripe or banged-up quinces, the color inside is darker reddish because the fruit's meat has oxidized by contact with the air. I recommend using not very ripe quinces to achieve a better taste, which also suffers from oxidation.

Another critical point is that quince naturally has a lot of pectins. So, take out half of the seeds before cooking so you don't end up with a stiff paste.

Why my quince paste is not turning red?

Patience: your starting quince puree will be yellow, but thanks to the slow caramelization, it will change color to the traditional reddish-brown, and the flavor will improve.

Homemade Quince Paste

Is quince paste an excellent way to preserve quince?

Yes, it keeps for a long time, like many jams. The sugar-quince ratio is for each kilo of cooked quince pulp. Add 750 grams of granulated sugar. You can freeze quince paste for up to 3 years.

What do I do with Dulce de membrillo?

The most common way to eat it in Chile is on toast (like jam) at breakfast. My other favorite uses are on apple strudel (add a thin layer of the paste before adding the apples), with cheese on a board, or as sugar-dusted candy.

Can I eat quince raw?

Yes, but it is very tart. Quince is seldom eaten raw with salt in Chile.

You may also be interested in the recipe: Dulce de Alcayota Chilean Spaghetti Squash Preserve.

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Dulce de Membrillo Quince Paste

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Pilar Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 pounds
  • Category: Sweets
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Chilean
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Description

A traditional Chilean sweet treat.


Ingredients

Units
  • 6 quinces (a little more than a kilo or 2 pounds)
  • 750 grams of granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Wash the quinces very well. Remove all the hair by rubbing with a sponge. Cut each quince in 4 and remove the seeds of half of them. Do it one by one and place them in water immediately.
    Cutting the quince
  2. Place the quinces in a pot and cover with the minimum amount of water possible. Cook; once it boils, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
    Cooking the quince cooked quince
  3. Drain. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove the rest of the seeds, and in the food processor or blender, make a puree (do not add water).
    Cooked quince Cutting the core out Quince on the blender
  4. Weigh the puree and calculate the sugar. Place in a large pot with high walls to minimize the risk of burns.Weighting the quince Adding the sugar
  5. Mix and cook over medium heat, stirring. Once it boils, lower the heat to a minimum, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring. At this point, it will still be yellow and a quince jam, spreadable.
    Cooking the quince paste Reducing the quince paste
  6. Move to your smaller plate with minimum heat if you want a reddish firm paste. It should not bubble. Let cook for 1 hour and a half to two hours until it changes color. Stir every 5-10 minutes so it doesn't burn.
  7. Transfer carefully to a pan covered with silicone paper. Let dry overnight. Unmold and keep refrigerated.
    Homemade Quince Paste Homemade Quince Paste

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 tb/cucharada/20 gramos
  • Calories: 70
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 1 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18.1 g
  • Fiber: 0.4 g
  • Protein: 0.1 g

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Dulce de Membrillo Quince Paste

More Chilean Jams & Jellies

  • Miel de melón Honeydew melon jelly or syrup
    Miel de Melón Honeydew Syrup
  • Manjar Blanco Homemade Dulce de Leche
  • Homemade Wine Jelly
  • Condensed Milk into Dulce de Leche

Comments

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  1. Alicia says

    August 24, 2022 at 9:36 pm

    Great recipe!

    Reply

¡Hola!

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I'm Pilar Hernandez, a Latina mom, blogger since 2008, and urban farmer.

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