Quince sorbet

Quince is a lovely fruit but less popular than pear and apple, because it can’t be eaten raw. When cooked for a long time, it changes to a deep red colour with a rich, perfumed flavour. It is very versatile, working well with fatty meats and game, with cheese, added to an apple pie or simply pot-roasted and served with vanilla cream. Its distinct flavour holds up well in a sorbet. I serve this sorbet with a blue cheese panna cotta and wild rocket meringue, but it is also wonderful on its own. A great finish to a classic Sunday roast.

Credit: Greg Elms

• serves

  8-10

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g quince, peeled and cored
• 225 g caster sugar
• 1 litre water
• 1 tsp calvados, or brandy
• 1 tsp liquid glucose

Freezing time 3 hours

Instructions

Bring everything, except the glucose, to boil and simmer very gently for 90 minutes or until the quince goes deep red in colour.

Allow to cool slightly and puree with glucose. 

Pass through a fine sieve and cool in the fridge before freezing in an ice-cream machine. If you don’t have an ice-cream machine, freeze mix in ice cubes. 

When frozen, puree in a blender until smooth.

Photography by Greg Elms. Recipe and image from Planet to Plate: The Earth Hour Cookbook (available online, $40, hbk).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.