Vigilante Dessert with Homemade Quince Paste

Place the whole quinces in a large pot of water and boil them until they are tender (prick them and if they are tender, they are cooked).

Remove the quinces from the water, peel them, and scoop out the pulp. You should have about 1.5 kg of pulp.

Mash the pulp thoroughly and mix in the lemon zest.

Transfer the mixture to a wide, heavy-bottomed pan.

Add the sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 30 minutes.

When the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and becomes thick, it’s ready.

You can cook it a little longer if you prefer a deeper reddish color.

Pour the mixture into loaf pans or molds to form rectangular blocks.

Let cool slightly, then refrigerate for 24 hours to set.

Once set, unmold and slice as needed. Optionally, you can sprinkle or roll slices in sugar for a decorative finish.