Quince Dessert (Ayva Tatlısı)

It’s quince season, and I love that they’re everywhere in Northern California. Quince is almost unknown in the United States, yet for many of us from Europe or the Middle East it is an essential part of fall. The fruit itself is an apple-pear cousin with very little charm on paper. It is firm, extremely firm, and so tart that you cannot bite into it without a knife, yet it carries a quiet, floral sweetness. I prefer it raw, but it truly shines in this classic dessert.

Quince dessert is a traditional Turkish sweet prepared in a simple sugar syrup. In Turkey you see it in nearly every restaurant and patisserie throughout the fall and winter. Those versions are often a vivid red, thanks to food coloring, though they will insist it is natural. This recipe comes remarkably close to that deep red hue with no coloring at all.

Although the ingredients and technique are simple, it took me more than half a decade to share this recipe. It is surprisingly difficult to perfect. You want that deep red color without turning to food coloring, and you want the flesh to stay firm after the long, slow cooking needed to achieve it, yet not slip into mush.

Here it is:

for 6 people

3 quinces, pick ones that are yellow with minimal green spots., halved and cored
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups sugar (~1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar per quince, depending how sweet you want it) and yes, that's a lot of sugar but this is a syrup based dessert so...moving on
one red apple peel, any kind
Juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cup water (1/2 cup per quince)
4-5 whole cloves

-Fill a bowl with enough water to submerge the quinces once halved. Add the lemon juice.
-Peel and core the quinces, reserving the peels and seeds for coloring. Place the halved quinces in the lemon water to keep them from browning.
-Once all are prepared, lift the halves from the lemon water and set them in a pot, cut side up. Add one and a half cups of water, the quince and apple peels, and the quince seeds. These will help the fruit take on a deep red hue. Add the cloves as well. You may bundle the peels, seeds, and cloves in a large tea strainer, mesh bag, or a square of cheesecloth.
-Bring to a boil over medium to high heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.
-Add the sugar in the cores and continue cooking on low heat for two hours. After an hour and a half, turn the quince halves over so the cut sides face down, and let them cook for the remaining hour.
-Transfer the quinces to a serving plate, cut side up. Discard the peels, seeds, and cloves with a slotted spoon. Spoon the syrup over the quinces and let them cool.
-Serve with kaymak, qaymak, clotted cream, or, if none are available, mascarpone or whipped cream. Top with chopped walnuts or pistachios.

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