Your Guardian Chef

Canned & Jams

Pâte de Coing in English Quince Paste Recipe

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Quince Paste Recipe is a typical winter recipe for many Mediterranean countries. You can eat it as a candy, on a piece of bread or like they do in Spain with Manchego cheese. 

Quince paste recipe Jump to Recipe 

It is called Pâte de Coing in French, Cotognata in Italian and Membrillo in Spanish.

The flavour is very distinctive, halfway between a pear and an apple, and because the quince has a high content of pectin, the paste is firmer than a jam.

Quince paste will last for at least 3 months, so you can make a batch before Christmas and have a sweet snack ready anytime.

 

Quince is practically an apple, but cannot be eaten raw as it is very hard and bitter.

But once cooked its taste is sweet and fruity.

 

Coing Quince Cotogna

boil the quince for 30 minutes

I check out different recipes in different languages, and I found different versions.

Some peel the apples, some cook them whole; some add the sugar others add the caramel.

But the end result looks the same.

The Italian and the French recipes are very similar, so I follow them.

I boiled the apple without cutting and peeling them, and added caramel to the pulp.

To make this recipe I use KitchenAid attachment 5FVSP Fruit and vegetable Strainer 

You can find it on Amazon (affiliate link)

I find it very useful to sieve cooked fruits, tomatoes and potatoes. It separates the skin directly so I don’t have to peel them.

Here, more of my favourite kitchen tools

Cut in slices and let them dry

Once it is ready I cut it into slices and let them dry.

I cover them with kitchen foil and keep it in the fridge.

When the boys want a snack, they can help themselves.

Cut in slices and let them dry
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5 from 5 votes

Quince Paste Recipe

This is a typical winter recipe for many Mediterranean countries. You can eat it as a candy, on a piece of bread or like they do in Spain with Manchego cheese. It will last for 3 months 
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Course: Canned & Jam
Cuisine: French, Italian, Mediterranean, Spanish
Servings: 1 kilo
Calories: 2677kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 quince
  • 630 gr sugar same amount as the weight of the quince
  • 400 water

Instructions

  • Boil the quince as they are, without peeling them or cutting them for about 30/35 minutes. They have to be soft but not  too mushy
    boil the quince for 30 minutes
  • Sieve them on a fruit strainer. I use the KitchenAid attachment so I don't have to peel them
    homemade apricot jam sieving
  • Weight the pulp, I got 625 gr with 3 quince
  • Take the same amount of sugar and make the caramel. For 625 gr of sugar, I used 400 ml of water. Bring the caramel to 120 C
  • In the meantime cook the quince pulp over a pan of boiling water to remove as much water as possible
    Dry the quince paste over boiling water
  • Add the caramel to the quince and cook for another 30 minutes continuing to stir
    Add the caramel to the quince
  • Cover a rectangular mould with parchment paper and pour the quince past inside. Let it rest for 24 hours 
    Pour the Quince Paste into the mould
  • The next day, remove the quince paste from the mould and cut it into slices or cubes
    remove the quince paste from its mould
  • Let it dry and serve it as it is, on a slice of bread or as the Spanish do with a manchego cheese 
    Quince paste with bread and cheese

Notes

Calories 266 calories per serving Fat 11 gr per serving Carbohydrates 33 gr per serving Cholesterol 30 mg Proteins 12 gr per serving Sugar 7 gr per serving Sodium 4422 mg per serving 
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely.
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Quince Paste Recipe is a typical winter recipe for many Mediterranean countries. You can eat it as a candy, on a piece of bread or like they do in Spain with Manchego cheese. 

Apricot Jam Without Pectin

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This recipe is for apricot jam without pectin.

homemade apricot jamPectin is a natural thickening agent extract from apple.

By using Pectin, you can cook the jam for a shorter period as it will thicken faster, but it does not preserve the fruit as long.

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It is the sugar that preserves the fruit, so it is very important to maintain the right amount of sugar vs fruit.

You can reduce the quantity of sugar but the jam cannot be stored for months.

If you want to have a low sugar jam during the winter months, I would follow my friend Beth’s recommendation at Binky's Culinary Carnival - Freeze the fruits and make your jam when you need it.

Here you can find her recipe for Low Sugar Strawberry Jam  

To make this recipe I use KitchenAid attachment 5FVSP Fruit and vegetable Strainer 

You can find it on Amazon (affiliate link)

I find it very useful to sieve cooked fruits, tomatoes and potatoes. It separates the skin directly so I don’t have to peel them.

Here, more of my favourite kitchen tools

August is when the summer fruits are at their peak, and supermarkets start to sell large crates for only a few euro. It is crazy, but I just can’t resist buying them!

 

So here are the most important steps I follow when preserving fruits:

• I use jars made specifically for jams and preserves. I reuse them the following year but buy new seals each time (in the picture the rubber orange seal)

• I do not change the quantity of fruit vs sugar from the recipe. The sugar blocks the fruit fermentation, so it is important to maintain the right quantity.

• The pectin is used to reduce the cooking time, preserving the natural vitamins from the fruit. Though I like caramelized peach jam, and I prefer to cook it for longer, despite the loss of some of the vitamins. So, I don’t add pectin, only for this reason.

• I always use the jam I make within the year.

• I usually keep it for family use only, as a present only to close friends.

To preserve the jam, I sterilize the jars by washing them in the dishwasher while cooking the jam.

This way, they are still hot when the jam is poured into the jars directly.

For each jar, I close the cover, seal it and place it up-side down until it is at room temperature.

If I use less sugar, I wrap the jar in wool and keep it covered in a dark and protected place for 36 hrs.

*for additional information see Copyright and Disclaimer

sterilizing jars in the dishwasherSave

For instructions on recipes template see post: Food Madness: Digital & Apps

For measurement conversions see post: How much is a Cup in grams and the most useful cooking conversions

homemade apricot jam without pectin
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5 from 3 votes

Apricot jam without pectin

This apricot jam is sieved therefore smoother and creamy. Beside spreading it on a fresh slice of bread, it can be used for many cakes and biscuits recipes
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Course: Canned & Jam
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 jars
Calories: 100kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 kg pitted apricots
  • 800 gr sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Before I start any canning recipe, I always put the jars in the dishwasher so they are sterilized when the jam has finished cooking.
    sterilizing jars in the dishwasher
  • Wash and remove the pits from the apricots.
    Put them in a pan with a cup of water. You don’t need to peel them
  • Boil at medium temperature for 10 minutes and let it cool down until it reaches room temperature.
    homemade apricot jam
  • Strain the mix until it becomes a pure, then remove the skin.
    homemade apricot jam sieving
  • To check if it is done, place a drop on the back of the spoon, it should not run.
    Remove any foam with a strainer.
  • Prepare the jars with their rubber seals and begin filling them.
  • Once you are done, remove any drops from the edge and seal the jars. Wait 10 minutes, then turn them upside down to cool down completely.
  • Don’t forget to label them with the name and year they were made.
    I don’t need the month since I certainly made the jam when apricots were in season!

Notes

Calories 100 calories per serving
Fat 1 gr per serving
Carbohydrates 24 gr per serving
Proteins 2 gr per serving
Sugar 21 gr per serving
Sodium 2 mg per serving
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely
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This is an apricot jam without pectin which is a natural thickening agent. Totally natural it is great for breakfast over a fresh slice if homemade bread #yourguardianche #jam #preserves

Homemade Crystallized Violets Recipe

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Here is the Crystallized Violets Recipe perfect for a Spring project with children.

In the French Riviera, Spring is announced in March when violets start blossoming all around the gardens.

If you don’t use any chemical treatment in your garden, have your own Violets Festival.

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I used them to decorate a Swiss Roll Sponge, you can also use them to decorate the Almond Meringue and Butter Cream cake.

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For instructions on recipes template see post: Food Madness: Digital & Apps

For measurement conversions see post: How much is a Cup in grams and the most useful cooking conversions

homemade crystallized violets festival
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5 from 5 votes

Homemade Crystallized Violets

Crystallized Violets Recipe perfect for a Spring project with children.
Prep Time40 mins
Total Time43 mins
Course: Canned & Jam
Cuisine: French
Servings: 3 jars
Calories: 280kcal

Ingredients

  • 50 gr violets
  • 1 egg white
  • castor sugar

Instructions

  • Pick the flowers with long stems so you can hold them without damaging them.
    weight homemade crystallized violets recipe
  • Prepare a bowl full of fresh water and rinse the flowers one by one.
    washing homemade crystallized violets recipe
  • Place them on a cloth to dry, not under the direct sun, but on the kitchen counter.
    cleaning crystallized violets recipe
  • Slightly whisk the egg white and with a brush spread it inside and outside the flower.
    brushing homemade crystallized violets recipe
  • Lay them on a parchment paper, remove the stems.
    preparing homemade crystallized violets recipe
  • Sprinkle the flowers with castor sugar and let them dry out in a warm and dark place for a couple of days.
    drying homemade crystallized violets festival
  • Once dried store them in an air tight container covering them with sugar.
    homemade crystallized violets recipe

Notes

You can use them to decorate a Swiss Roll Sponge and here is the recipe:   If you don’t use any chemical treatment in your garden, have your own Violets Festival, here is the Crystallized Violets Recipe. Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

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Canned Tomatoes Sauce Recipe in My Kitchen

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Since I don’t own a barrel, and my tomatoes grinder is small, I make canned tomatoes sauce in small quantity just as a winter “special supply” for the family.

homemade-tomato-sauce-14_5_1

It is worth the effort as its taste is simply delightful!

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To grind my tomatoes I use the KitchenAid grinder, which you can find out more about on my Amazon review.

Kitchenaid

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If you want to know how canned tomatoes are made traditionally in Italy, you can read about it here:

You can use homemade tomato sauce in the following recipes:

For instructions on recipes template see post: Food Madness: Digital & Apps

For measurement conversions see post: How much is a Cup in grams and the most useful cooking conversions

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Canned tomatoes sauce in my kitchen

Since I don’t own a barrel, and my tomatoes grinder is small, I make tomato sauce in small quantity just as a winter “special supply” for the family. It is worth the effort as its taste is simply delightful!
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time2 hrs
Course: Canned & Jam
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 jars
Calories: 36kcal

Ingredients

  • 5 kilos fresh long tomatoes
  • 10 basil leaves

Instructions

  • Buy a 5 kilo crate of matured long tomatoes.
  • Washed them thoroughly in cold water.
  • Cut them in half removing the green and any damaged parts.
  • Cover, and let it boil.
  • until the tomatoes become soft
  • Drain the water and then grind them through the grinder. The skins will be removed automatically. It can be messy !
  • Prepare your jars which have been sterilised in the dishwasher (as for the peach jam)
  • Fill them up and place a basil leaf inside each jar.
  • Place them back in the pan and fill it up with water. Make sure they do not bang against each other while boiling.
  • Let them boil for 1 hour
  • Then let them cool down at room temperature before storing them in the pantry, ideally on a shelf which is in the dark.

Notes

Calories 36 calories per serving
Fat 0 gr per serving
Carbohydrates 8 gr per serving
Proteins 1 gr per serving
Sugar 6 gr per serving
Sodium 5 mg per serving
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely

Caramelized Peach Jam Recipe No Pectin

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This is not a normal jam, it is a caramelized peach jam recipe no pectin.

peach-jam-4_4_1

Jump to Recipe

As I don’t want the peach season to come to an end, I make jam so we can enjoy them for the rest of the year.

The pectin is used to reduce the cooking time, preserving the natural vitamins from the fruit. Though I like caramelized peach jam, and I prefer to cook it for longer, despite the loss of some of the vitamins.

So I don’t add pectin, only for this reason.

We made this jam the first time with my father by mistake! We forgot the jam was boiling and the peaches caramelized, it was delicious.  I never managed to make it exactly the same, however, every time I make it, and it brings back memories of my father Francesco.

For more information about preserving peaches you can read the article Jam! I Will Not Let The Peach Season End

I do not change the dose of fruit vs sugar from the recipe.  The sugar blocks the fruit fermentation.

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For instructions on recipes template see post: Food Madness: Digital & Apps

For measurement conversions see post: How much is a Cup in grams and the most useful cooking conversions

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5 from 5 votes

Caramelized Peach Jam

As I don’t want the peach season to come to an end, I make jam so we can enjoy them for the rest of the year. Though this is not a normal jam, it is a caramelized one.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Canned & Jam
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 6 jars
Calories: 1319kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 kg peaches I use the yellow variety
  • 2 kg castor sugar
  • lemon zest
  • rhubarb optional

Instructions

  • Before starting with the peach jam, put all the glass containers in the dishwasher with a cycle at high temperature so they will be sterilized and ready to be filled once the jam is ready.
    sterilizing jars in the dishwasher
  • Peel the peaches and cut them in small pieces. Place them in a pan to cook at medium heat and bring to boil, stirring every once in a while. Let them cook for 20 minutes. Optional : since I had them at hand, I added some small rhubarb stems from the garden
  • Add the sugar to the peaches and cook for another hour, stirring to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove any foam with a ladle
  • You will know when the jam is ready by pouring a small quantity on a dish and when you tilt the dish at 45 ° it does not move.
  • Since I like it caramelized, sometime I let it cook until it becomes very dark. Not always
  • Fill the jars and clean the edges of any residue. Seal them carefully.
  • Turn them upside down and let them cool completely.
  • Don’t forget to label them “Peach jam”, with the month and year they were made. Store them in the pantry, or in a dark cupboard.

Notes

Nutrition facts per jar:
Calories 1320 calories per serving
Fat 0 gr per serving
Carbohydrates 340 gr per serving
Proteins 1 gr per serving
Sugar 339 gr per serving
Sodium 3 mg per serving
Nutritional information is provided for general purpose only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely
PIN FOR LATER:
The pectin is used to reduce the cooking time, preserving the natural vitamins from the fruit. Though I prefer caramelized peach jam recipe no pectin. #yourguardianchef #jam #preserve