Preparation

• Place a pot on the stove with enough water to completely cover the quinces. When the water begins to boil, add a bit of salt to taste.
• Wash the quinces thoroughly under a stream of water to remove the fuzz covering their skin.
• When the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the whole quinces, without peeling.
• Let them boil for about 60 minutes, depending on the size and ripeness of the quinces. They should be tender; check by piercing them with a toothpick. The softer they are, the better you can mash the pulp.
• Once boiled, drain the water and let the quinces cool down a bit.
• Peel the quinces, remove the core, and cut them into cubes. If possible, pass them through a sieve for a finer texture. If not, mash the cubes with a fork.
• Weigh the mashed fruit in a bowl (make sure to subtract the weight of the bowl).
• Based on the weight of the quinces, add between 80% and 100% of their weight in sugar (personally, I use 100% of the weight so that it preserves for almost a year).
• Add the sugar to the bowl with the quinces, mix well, and let it macerate for about 2 hours.
• Important: Protect the stove with aluminum foil to prevent stains.
• In Cerdanya, specifically protect the area between the left countertop and the stove with a couple of aluminum foil pieces secured with the stove grates over the countertop.
• Transfer the mixture to a flat casserole or a large pan.
• Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Cook for 45 minutes.
• In Cerdanya, use the large burner on the lowest setting and stir continuously throughout the cooking.
• It is crucial to stir constantly to prevent sticking. It will be done when the mixture detaches from the sides of the casserole. Avoid letting the sugar caramelize too much.
• During cooking, use the immersion blender 3 or 4 times to achieve the finest texture possible.
• Towards the end of cooking, add the lemon juice and a bit of ground cinnamon.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally.
• Line the mold with two strips of parchment paper, one lengthwise and the other crosswise.
• Fill the mold with the mixture and compact it with a spatula.
• Cover the quince paste with parchment paper.
• If possible, place a weight on top to further compact it.
• If you used a large mold, place the small mold on top with a tetrapack inside. If you prepared both molds, also place the small one on top of the large one, then cover the quince paste in the small mold and when it's lukewarm, put handles on top of the paper (to limit the upward temperature) and place a tetrapack on top.
• The next day, place it in the refrigerator for one or two days.
• Once it has solidified well, cut it into pieces and vacuum seal them.