Membrillo was introduced to me from on of my favorite cheesemongers. I was raving about how I think that Manchego is my favorite sheep’s milk cheese and she was quick to ask me if I had tried Membrillo (Quince paste). She went on to tell me that Membrillo was actually made to be eaten with Manchego. I have never gone back. It’s like discovering the combination of peanut butter and jelly.
Membrillo is made from a Quince which is a hard fruit I would classify as half pear and half apple. You cannot eat them without cooking them down, but when you do, they turn sweet and slightly peach in color. I made this for a spanish tapas party, and people loved it and couldn’t believe I actually MADE it. But, I still have a lot of work to do on this recipe. It didn’t get as dark peach as I wanted it to. Oh well! There will definitely be a next time. 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Cooling time: 1-3 hours
*Adapted from Simply Recipes
2 pounds quince, washed, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
1 vanilla pod, split
1 thick strip of lemon peel
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
About 2 cups of granulated sugar, or the exact same amount as the quince puree
To start: Peel, core and quarter the quince. Cut the quarters in half.
Place the quince in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Add lemon peel and vanilla pod. Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook the quince until fork tender for about 30 minutes.
Drain the water out and puree the soft quince. Keep the lemon peel and discard the vanilla pod. Puree the quince past in a food processor. Measure the puree and return it back to the pot. What ever amount you measured in quince puree, add that much sugar. Turn heat to medium-low. Add the lemon juice.
Make sure there are still small bubbles forming and cook the mixture for about an hour or an hour and a half. The color will start to turn into a deep orange.
Transfer the membrillo, which will be a thick paste, into a quarter sheetpan lined with parchment and let it cool. Store at room temperature covered with plastic wrap. The longer it sits, the better it is.
March 14, 2009 at 10:54 am
This is lovely, Kari! I grew up with Membrillo (and mum’s bitter orange, guava, mango, mamey, coconut and grapefruit pastes) and the color and texture on your finished paste looks beautiful.
Is it terribly sweet or is the quince tart character still evident? (I like mine on the tart side).
March 14, 2009 at 11:39 am
You can probably add less sugar (I do not know if that would affect the consistency) or just add even more lemon juice to cut the sugar flavor. When I just tasted it, it had a light essence of vanilla with a hint of lemon. It is sweet though!
March 14, 2009 at 11:17 am
I am amazed at what one can do with quince! My childhood home had a quince bush out front for AGES, and I’m not sure my parents had any idea of what to do with it. Honestly, I don’t think I realized it was food until I was out on my own and looking at food blogs! Any thoughts on where quince might be purchased?
Lovely recipe!
March 14, 2009 at 11:40 am
Betsy-I got mine from a larger gourmet market. Whole Foods has had them when they have been in season. I think they are not hard to come by, you just have to spend a little time trying to find them:)
March 17, 2009 at 4:49 pm
GreaT!
March 14, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Kari,
How nice is that? I always buy quince paste to serve with Manchego, I must admit, I have never seen quince fruit! Guilty!
March 16, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Wow you made your own! Very impressive. Mebrillo and manchego is a great dish for a tapas party.
March 28, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Treat it as any jam, =stir and boil it until you get to see the bottom of the pan, and check it by dropping small portions on to cold plates and after a few minutes see if it makes wrinkles when you push it from the side. Then it will be ready and really dark.
I usually buy it made, as I don’t think there is much diference in this case, but sometimes I have a surplus of quinces. There is though a huge difference if you try a clear jelly made by leaving the cooked quinces drain overnight hanging in a cheese cloth over a bowl to catch the clear juices and then adding sugar in equal cuatities as the juice and boiling tilll the jam point.