Quince liqueur, thinking ahead for Christmas
Of all the seasonal fruit available during the autumn, the quince is the most mysterious. It's rarely available for sale and you are more likely to come across the fruit if you happen to know someone who has a quince tree. It's an ancient fruit, better known in Middle East where it's found flavouring savoury tagines or in Spain, as membrillo, a fruit 'cheese'. Quince brings to mind exotic images from the Arabian Nights and with a sweet musky honeyed fragrance it scents the kitchen like Sultan's perfumed harem.
Thinking ahead for Christmas (dark cold nights in need of a little 'warmth'), I decided on trying to retain some of the mysteriously exotic perfume of this unusual fruit in a liqueur. I don't usually follow a set recipe when making infused vodkas, generally preferring to taste as I go along, but these are the quantities I used for this particular drink.
Quince liqueur
2-3 quinces, rubbed clean of any remaining fuzz
1 litre bottle vodka
5-6 tbsp caster sugar (add more to taste)
Cut the quince into small pieces (including peel, cores and pips) and cover with vodka in a large clean jar. Quince brown very quickly, so do this as quick as you can. Add the sugar (I try to keep the sugar content low as I'm not keen on sweet drinks) and leave in a dark place for 4 weeks or so, shaking occasionally when you remember.
After 4 weeks or so, I will strain the liquid and have an early taste, adding more sugar if necessary. I hope it keeps some of the fragrance and will update you on progress after bottling.
Thinking ahead for Christmas (dark cold nights in need of a little 'warmth'), I decided on trying to retain some of the mysteriously exotic perfume of this unusual fruit in a liqueur. I don't usually follow a set recipe when making infused vodkas, generally preferring to taste as I go along, but these are the quantities I used for this particular drink.
Quince liqueur
2-3 quinces, rubbed clean of any remaining fuzz
1 litre bottle vodka
5-6 tbsp caster sugar (add more to taste)
Cut the quince into small pieces (including peel, cores and pips) and cover with vodka in a large clean jar. Quince brown very quickly, so do this as quick as you can. Add the sugar (I try to keep the sugar content low as I'm not keen on sweet drinks) and leave in a dark place for 4 weeks or so, shaking occasionally when you remember.
After 4 weeks or so, I will strain the liquid and have an early taste, adding more sugar if necessary. I hope it keeps some of the fragrance and will update you on progress after bottling.
I will be keeping a beady eye on your quince brandy, it sounds divine. Being rather obsessed with all things 'quince' at the moment, I had a Spanish almond tart with poached quince (along the bottom, rather like a Bakewell tart) in a local pub and will definitely be trying to recreate the recipe, it was delicious.
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