Quince and Rosewater Soufflé

Ingredients

• 3 medium quinces
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup vin santo, or ¼ cup sweet dessert wine
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 tbsp rosewater
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• extra 2 tbsp castor sugar
• 80g pink Rosewater Turkish Delight
• icing sugar for dusting

Quince cream

• 1 cup lightly whipped sweetened cream
• 1/4 cup quince puree
• 2 teaspoons rosewater

Method

Peel, core, and quarter quinces then place in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons sugar, vin santo, vanilla bean, 1 cup water or just enough water to cover.

Bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.

Cover pan, reduce heat to very low and cook slowly for 2 hours or until quince is a lovely rich pink colour. If a low heat cannot be achieved on the cooktop, place in a baking dish, cover and bake at 150°C for approximately 2½ hours until quinces changes to pink colour.

Remove from oven and cool.

Using a slotted spoon remove quince from poaching liquid and also take out 1/4 cup of the liquid. Puree quince and liquid in a food processor or with a hand stick blender.

Place 1 cup of the warm quince puree in a small pan. Blend together cornflour with cream and stir into a puree, heat gently stirring constantly until thickened, flavour with rosewater.

Transfer to a larger bowl and cool.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter 8 x ½ cup soufflé dishes or ovenproof teacups and lightly sprinkle each with castor sugar. A buttered collar to extend 4 cm above rim of the dish can be placed around the outside of each dish and secured to help elevate soufflé as it rises.

Dice Turkish Delight into very small 5mm cubes and place 4 cubes in the base of each soufflé dish.

In a clean dry bowl beat egg whites to soft peaks with a pinch of salt and cream of tartar.

Scatter over and beat in remaining 2 tablespoons castor sugar.

Spoon mixture into prepared dishes to 3/4, smoothing over tops with a knife and running clean knifepoint around edges.

Bake at 180°C for approximately 12 to 15 minutes until risen and lightly coloured.

Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately accompanied by prepared quince cream.

Quince cream for serving

Combine whipped cream with quince puree, flavour with rosewater to taste.

About Geraldine Holmes

Consultant and Culinary Teacher

Geraldine is a Culinary Teacher and Home Economist who trained in Melbourne and at the Cordon Bleu in the United Kingdom. Her career has involved working with major food and appliance companies in Australia and as a free-lance consultant.

It was in these positions where she gained considerable experience in creative recipe development, food styling, catering, as a food presenter and walking tour guide. Geraldine enjoys sharing her passion and love for cooking with fresh, seasonal produce through teaching classes where recipes are designed for both every day and entertaining.