1201. Turkish Quince Dessert

I have been wanting to make this dessert for more time than I care to admit. Usually, my interest in sugar-syrup soaked desserts spans the duration of Ramadan only. Having finally nailed homemade geemar, I lunged at the opportunity to finally make this recipe, and it did not disappoint.
Quince is available in the autumnal and winter seasons, so it stands to reason this is typically considered a cold season dessert in Turkey. The fruit, inedible when raw, is stewed in a spiced sugar mixture, together with its own peels and cores, to result in the most appealing amber-rose hue. Do not skip the geemar (or kaimak/clotted cream) and the crushed nuts to serve.

Ingredients: serves 2

1 quince
1/2 cup sugar
3 cloves
1/2 cinnamon bark
1 1/2 cups water
Geemar, to serve
Pistachios or walnuts, to serve

Method:

Peel, halve, and core the quince. Do not discard the peel or the core: instead place them in a small pot with the cloves and cinnamon.
Add the water to the pot, and the quince halves (cut-side up). Sprinkle a quarter cup of sugar over each quince half.
Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and pot and leave simmering for an hour to an hour and a half. You are looking for a deep amber-rose color of the quince, and some syrup, so be sure to check the water does not run out.
Refrigerate the quince overnight.
To serve, place the cooked quince cut-side up on a serving dish, top with a generous scoop of geemar or kaymak and a heft sprinkle of crushed pistachios.

صحة و عافية