Ayva reçeli (quince jam)

Ayva reçeli, or quince jam, is wonderfully aromatic with a deep peach-pink colour and rose-like flavour. Pronounced 'eye-vah reh-cheh-lee', it is often enjoyed as part of a Cypriot breakfast spread, with toasted bread and cheese. With its slightly tart, sweet flavour, it's also great as part of a cheese board or mixed with yoghurt as a light afternoon snack.

Golden-skinned quince is too sharp to be eaten raw and slowly cooking it with sugar transforms it into a luscious sweet treat. Traditionally, Cypriots slice quince into large pieces and candy them in syrup to make ayva macunu, which is served on its own as a sweet treat for guests, alongside a refreshing glass of water. However, preparing it as ayva reçeli offers more versatility in use.

The key to our ayva reçeli recipe is getting exactly 750g of thickly grated quince. If the weight of quince is less or more, you will need to adjust the amount of sugar and water accordingly, along with the cooking time. Typically, 1kg of quince usually yields 750g after peeling, coring and grating.

Quince jam thickens and sets as it cools so the best way of testing it is by using a cold plate from the freezer. You will need to pour half a teaspoon (3-4 drops) of hot jam onto the cold plate, leave it for 1 minute to cool and then gently push it with your finger - if it wrinkles, it's ready. This is called the wrinkle test, or cold plate test.

Pouring hot jam into clean, sterilised jars and sealing them immediately helps create an airtight seal as the jam cools, preserving its quality for longer.

Makes approx 4 medium (300ml) jars of jam | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

4 (1kg) quinces, peeled, cored and thickly grated (it will be approx 750g when grated)	​750g white sugar
​500ml water	​50ml lemon juice

Hob heat settings

Method

1. Put a small plate in the freezer - this will be used later to test the jam.

   
   

2. Add the water to the grated quince in a large saucepan, then stir well and level the mixture to ensure all the fruit is covered. Place on a medium-high heat while loosely covered for 15-20 minutes or until it starts to bubble constantly and the quince begins to soften. Stir occasionally.

   
   

3. Lower to a medium heat and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved. Cook while loosely covered for 30 minutes, while stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn’t burn.

   
   

4. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for 40 minutes to 1 hour more, or until the quince has turned a deep peach-pink colour and the water has reduced. To test if the jam is ready, place half a teaspoon (3-4 drops) on the cold plate from the freezer and leave it for 1 minute to cool. Once cooled, gently push it with your finger - if it wrinkles, it is ready. If it is still watery, simmer for a further 5–10 minutes, then test again until firmer.

   
   

5. Divide into sterile jars, seal and allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge. Serve by adding a generous helping to freshly toasted bread, or as part of a cheese board.