WE FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH MEMBRILLO (OR QUINCE CHEESE AS IT IS KNOWN IN SPAIN) WHEN WE WERE LIVING IN ANDALUCIA – THERE IS NOTHING NICER TO SERVE WITH A REALLY GOOD MANCHEGO AT THE END OF A LONG LUNCH!
1LBS QUINCES WASHED PEELED CORED AND CHOPPED – VANILLA PASTE – CASTER SUGAR
PLACE THE QUINCE PIECES INTO A LARGE PAN AND ADD ENOUGH WATER TO COVER. ADD THE VANILLA AND BRING TO THE BOIL. BOIL FOR 30-40 MINUTES, OR UNTIL QUINCES ARE VERY SOFT. DRAIN THE LIQUID AND THEN WEIGH THE COOKED QUINCES. THIS WEIGHT IS THE WEIGHT OF CASTER SUGAR YOU REQUIRE. PLACE THE FRUIT INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH. RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL PAN AND ADD THE EQUAL WEIGHT IN SUGAR. COOK OVER A LOW HEAT, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, UNTIL THE SUGAR DISSOLVES, AND UNTIL THE QUINCE PASTE HAS THICKENED AND IS A DEEP ORANGE COLOUR. THIS COULD TAKE UP TO AN HOUR. POUR THE COOKED PASTE OUT ONTO A GREASED AND LINED BAKING TRAY AND SMOOTH THE PASTE OUT EVENLY. PUT IN TO A PREHEATED OVEN AT 50 C AND COOK FOR AN HOUR. REMOVE FROM THE OVEN, COOL AND THEN PUT IN THE FRIDGE – IT SHOULD THEN BE SET. EAT WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF CHEESE!