Κυδωνοπαστο (Quince Paste)

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~ Ingredients: ~ 1 kilo of ripped quince ~ Sugar ~ 1/2 a cup of lemon juice ~ 2-3 leaves of sweet-scented Pelargonium (Arbaroriza)

 

~ Wash, peel, cut in half and remove the center core with the pits. ~ Place in a pot, cover with water and add the lemon juice. ~ Cook over high heat and cook until they are soft. ~ Drain the water and put them through a food processor to purify them. ~ Measure the purified quinces and place in another pot. ~ For every cup of purified quince put in the pot add a little less than a cup of sugar. ~ Place the pot over the heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, in one hand to mix and melt the sugar and on the other hand to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. ~ When the mixture is not sticking to the side of the pot, it is ready. ~ In order to make sure of that, you can test it by taking some of the mixture with a teaspoon, place it in a small plate, let it cool and by pushing the spoon through the paste and it stays separated, that means is ready. ~ Add the sweet-scented pelargonium towards the end of the boiling. ~ While the quince paste is still hot, spoon it into a large flat platter sprinkled with orange blossom water and smooth it out to whatever thickness you prefer. ~ If you want, you can spoon it into some little individual forms. ~ Sprinkle some orange blossom water on the top. ~ Put the platter with the quince paste under direct sun to dry for two days, turning it over in between. ~ Leave for an additional 2-3 days inside the house to dry more. ~ If the paste comes off the platter that means it is ready and dry. ~ As it is in the platter or just place it in a flat surface on parchment paper, cut in square or diamond shapes and sizes you want. ~ Good luck and enjoy.