To Stew Quinces for Syrup or Jelly

A terse note on extracting quince juice rather than a full jelly recipe: the point is a short, gentle cooking followed by an overnight settle.

• The hinge: keep the heat shortQuince flesh reddens as it cooks, turning first pink then a deep amber-red. If you want a pale, clear syrup, cook only until a knife slides in easily and keep the pan lidded; long stewing gives the ruby colour that other recipes deliberately chase.
• Preparation the recipe assumesPreparation the recipe leaves unstated -- Rub off the woolly down, wipe the fruit, and cut into quarters or thick slices without peeling. Cores and pips are usually left in the pan, as they carry a good deal of the pectin that helps the jelly set.
• "A little water"Only enough to keep the fruit from catching; the recipe gives no quantity. Quinces are dry and hard and will scorch if the pan goes dry, so top up rather than let it catch.
• The overnight standThis lets the juice draw out and the sediment fall, giving the "rich and clear" liquor. Cover the bowl and refrigerate rather than leaving it out on the counter overnight.
• StrainingPour through a jelly bag or a double thickness of muslin and let it drip. Squeezing or pressing forces pulp through and clouds the jelly, which undoes the whole purpose of the resting step.
• Finishing, which the recipe leaves outFor jelly, use roughly equal weights of sugar to strained juice and boil to setting point, around 220F. For syrup, less sugar and a shorter boil. Quince is high in pectin, so added pectin is generally unnecessary, though some recipes still add lemon juice.
• YieldThe recipe gives no quantities, and the juice drawn will vary with the fruit. Do not discard the cooked pulp: it can be sieved and cooked down for quince paste.