Dulce de Membrillo is a thick quince paste, like jam only thicker - you can form it into a block and slice it. Quince is a fruit that looks rather similar to a pear. Quince preserves and jam are eaten all over the world, but quince paste is more South American. In most countries quince preserves will look like this photo. In Bolivia it's similar but less liquid, as you'll see on my page about Bolivian fruit.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

The others tend to have the consistency of jam or jelly. The way we make membrillo here is very thick and it is sold in blocks. Many people simply eat it by the slice, without smearing it onto bread (it's hard to smear, it's more like you just place it on top of your bread) some also serve it as a dessert, serving one slice of the dulce de membrillo with one slice of cheese. The salty and sweet flavors combined are yum!

Ingredients:

6 quince*, peeled
6 cups of sugar
Water

See a photo of what a whole quince fruit (membrillo) looks like below:

Preparation:

Peel and cut the quince and remove the seeds. Place them into a pot with enough water to cover them. Boil them until they are soft, then strain them through a metal strainer. This should have the consistency of a thick applesauce.

Measure the quince sauce you've strained by cups into a pot. For each cup of strained quince, add one cup of sugar. Mix and cook on very low heat until the mixture becomes a dark red.

Pour into a small, square mold and allow to cool until it forms a thick block of jam that can be sliced.

Slice and serve with bread or on a plate with a slice of cheese for dessert. Usually we serve this with a hard white cheese that is very salty. In the US it is similar to Queso Cacique (a Mexican cheese that is usually available in supermarkets) or WholeFoods.