Quittengelee

Step 1: Rub the grey fuzz off the 3 ⅓ lb ripe yellow quinces with a dry cloth, wash them and cut into small chunks, keeping the skin, cores and seeds.

Step 2: Put them in a large pot with the 6 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour until the pieces are soft enough to crush with a spoon and the water has turned pale pink.

Step 3: Tip everything into a jelly bag or a colander lined with a clean, damp tea towel set over a bowl, and let it drip for 6–8 hours or overnight. A common mistake is squeezing the bag: it pushes pulp through and the jelly turns cloudy.

Step 4: Measure the juice. For every 1000 ml of juice, weigh out 750 g of 1 ⅔ lb sugar.

Step 5: Bring the juice, sugar and 3 tbsp lemon juice to a rolling boil in a wide pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil hard for 10–20 minutes, skimming off the foam, until it reaches 104–225°F. To test without a thermometer, drip a little onto a plate chilled in the freezer, wait a minute and push it with a finger: it is ready when the surface wrinkles.

Step 6: Pour into hot sterilised jars, seal and turn upside down for 5 minutes. The jelly darkens to rose-gold as it cools and sets fully within a day. Unopened, it keeps for a year; once open, keep it in the fridge.