A popular Spanish treat, Membrillo is also known as Quince Paste or Quince Cheese. It's usually served with wine and Manchego cheese. If you have more quince, make sure you make some Quince Jam, and Quince Cake!
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
There are a few different ways to prepare Quince Paste. This includes on the stovetop, in the oven, or a combination of the two.
Personally, I prefer cooking the Quince Paste on the stovetop. Quince is best when cooked for many hours. This not only deepens the flavor but transforms the fruit into a beautiful deep coral color. This makes recipes like Quince Jam and Quince Paste an ideal way to eat quince.
The process takes a few hours from start to finish. When prepared in the oven, it takes approximately the same time, so it's just a matter of preference.
🥄 How to Make Membrillo
STEP 1: Butter an 8" x 8" or 5" x 7" ceramic pan. Set aside. Chop the quince into chunks.
STEP 2: Place chopped quince in a six-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is fork-tender and drain into a strainer.
STEP 3: Puree the quince in a food processor until you achieve an applesauce consistency.
STEP 4: Using a kitchen scale, weigh the quince puree, then add it back into the empty pot.
STEP 5: Weigh out an equal amount of sugar and add to the quince.
STEP 6: Stir over low-medium heat until the sugar liquifies. Slit the vanilla bean down the center and add to the same pot, or use vanilla extract.
STEP 7: Stir frequently while cooking. You will notice that the color of the quince will begin to deepen the longer it cooks.
STEP 8: After about an hour of cooking, remove the vanilla bean and stir in the lemon juice. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for an additional hour. Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into the prepared pan.
STEP 9: Refrigerate the Quince Paste for a couple of hours until it sets. To serve, cut into squares and serve with Manchego cheese, crackers, and wine if desired.
Quince Jelly Candy
Another way to enjoy Membrillo is to transform it into cubes of Quince Jelly Candy. You might say it's the Spanish version of Turkish Delight.
After the membrillo is set, the jelly is then cut into cubes and dipped into white sugar to make Quince Jelly Candy.
Yet another option is to roll the quince jelly cubes in roasted ground almonds or even toasted coconut. Feel free to store the candy in your favorite tin. If stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to a year or more.
Quince Cost and Availability
When I finally found quince last week, I bought four at $2.29 each... totally worth it! Quince is definitely on the pricey side, and available for a short time in late Fall.
A few weeks later, I found quince for $1.99 a pound. I even found some at a different grocery store for $1.49 each. So if you don't want to spend more than necessary, be sure to price them at a few different stores.
If you do end up buying quince fruit, do yourself a favor and leave them on the counter for a few days. In this way, you can enjoy their heavenly scent for a few days as they ripen further.
🤷🏻♀️Recipe FAQs
The elusive quince; I have spent the last month searching for this unique and absolutely delicious fruit.
Be prepared to get blank stares if you ask for quince at your local grocery store. I've found that most of the grocery clerks have never heard of it.
When the clerks ask what quince is, I generally reply: "It's what you would get if a pear and an apple had a baby."
But there is a less "smart-ass" answer: Quince is a hard, pear-shaped fruit, that turns golden-yellow in color when mature. The deciduous quince tree is native to western Asia.
Quince was cultivated in the Mesopotamian Plains, and was known to the Akkadian people as "supurgillu." Assyrians call quince "sparijleh," can you see the similarity?
There is a good explanation for the similarity in names. After the fall of the Akkadian Empire (around 2150 B.C.), the Akkadian people were formed into two separate groups: Assyria to the north and Babylon to the south. So, once again, we can trace an Assyrian connection!
Membrillo is a thick jelly made with quince, sugar, lemon juice, and occasionally, vanilla. Quince fruit is cooked down, pureed, then simmered with sugar and other flavorings.
The delicious thick paste is then cut into cubes or strips. Quince Cheese is commonly served with cheese, crackers, dried fruit, and wine.
Some believe the serpent tempted Eve with a quince, instead of an apple. I find this hard to believe. Especially since quince is not one of those fruits that you can pick off the tree and sink your teeth into.
Not only is it very astringent (due to its high tannin content) but it's also tough and woody. This is why quince is usually cooked in recipes similar to this Membrillo Recipe, before being consumed.
However, as quince continues to ripen, it is more edible raw, but the dry texture still can't be compared to an apple or a pear.
Membrillo can last up to a year and taste just as delicious. To store the membrillo, just wrap it in saran wrap and store it in the fridge. So if you want to make membrillo months in advance of when you plan to serve it, feel free!
💡Pro Tips
- When buying quince, make sure they are blemish-free, firm, with a little give.
- Before using the quince, make sure to wash and dry them.
- You can choose to peel the quince or leave it as is. It's a matter of preference, however, I leave them unpeeled.
- If you don't have a kitchen scale, four large quince weigh approximately two pounds. Two pounds of sugar equals four cups. So for every two quince, use two cups of sugar.
- The longer you cook the quince puree mix, the deeper the color and flavor will become.
- To make unmolding the prepared membrillo easier, either butter the pan before pouring the cooked puree into it, or line with parchment paper first. Another option is to use a rubber or plastic container with flexible sides.
- Keep membrillo wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge. It will last over a year. Slice as needed.
🔖 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Membrillo (Quince Paste)
Equipment
- Food Scale
- food processor
Ingredients
- 4 large quince (approx. weight, 2 lbs.)
- 2 lbs. sugar (1 lb. equals 2 cups)
- 1 vanilla bean pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions
- Butter an 8" x 8" or 5" x 7" ceramic pan. Set aside. Chop the quince into chunks.
- Place chopped quince in a six-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is fork-tender and drain into a strainer.
- Puree the quince in a food processor until you achieve an applesauce consistency.
- Using a kitchen scale, weigh the quince puree, then add it back into the empty pot. Weigh out an equal amount of sugar and add to the quince.
- Stir over low-medium heat until the sugar liquifies. Slit the vanilla bean down the center and add to the same pot, or use vanilla extract.
- Stir frequently while cooking. You will notice that the color of the quince will begin to deepen the longer it cooks.
- After about an hour of cooking, remove the vanilla bean and stir in the lemon juice. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for an additional hour. Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Refrigerate the Quince Paste for a couple of hours until it sets. To serve, cut into squares and serve with Manchego cheese, crackers, and wine if desired.
Notes
- When buying quince, make sure they are blemish-free, firm, with a little give.
- Before using the quince, make sure to wash and dry.
- You can choose to peel the quince or leave it as is. It's a matter of preference, however, I leave them unpeeled.
- If you don't have a kitchen scale, four large quince weigh approximately two pounds. Two pounds of sugar equals four cups. So for every two quince, use two cups of sugar.
- The longer you cook the quince puree mix, the deeper the color and flavor will become.
- To make unmolding the prepared membrillo easier, either butter the pan before pouring the cooked puree into it, or line with parchment paper first. Another option is to use a rubber or plastic container with flexible sides.
- Keep membrillo wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge. It will last over a year. Slice as needed.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on 10/20/17 and updated on 10/3/20 with detailed photos, tips, faqs.
Vicci says
Does T mean tablespoon or teaspoon in your membrillo recipe please?
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, it does. One of these days I need to go back and update all those and write the full teaspoon and tablespoon.
Michael Brisson says
Was just gifted a shopping bag of quince. Can’t wait to try this recipe. I LOVE manchego!
HildaSterner says
Lucky! I bought some today, as a matter of fact. I paid $1.49 each and they weren't the best quality either.I've been looking for them for weeks so I settled for the ones I found. Hoping to make some membrillo tomorrow. 🙂
Debera Drage says
Do you think you could can this
HildaSterner says
This recipe really isn't meant for canning. You might want to try the Quince Preserves recipe for that (https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/quince-jam-murabat-sparijleh). What I love about this quince paste recipe is it lasts forever in the refrigerator. Just finished up last year's batch last week and eagerly awaiting the quince to be available again... any day now!
Brittany Meyer says
OH, WOW. THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER TASTED!!!!!!!! ????
HildaSterner says
Haha, I’m glad you liked it. Time to make some more, just waiting for quince to show up in stores. Should be any day now. ?
Salvador Diaz says
I'm Spanish and I *LOVE* membrillo. I totally recommend this recipe.
HildaSterner says
Thank you for your comment, Salvador. I'm just learning about this delicious treat, but I'm already addicted. I found more quince at my local grocery store last night and bought 8 more. I'm ready for round two, and of course, some quince jam!