drizzleanddip

This is a dense vanilla sponge cake smothered in poached quince slices and perfect for a winter’s tea.

Oh how I love playing with food I have never cooked before so when my friend Michael Olivier, a well known local food guru gave me these gorgeous quinces the other day my mind immediately started plotting and planning what to do with them. I have never eaten or cooked a quince in my life. Looking like fruit that would have been popular in another century, I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with them so I turned to the broader foodie community and my friends on Twitter asking a few questions.

A couple of exciting options cropped up including turning them it into jam, and I love making preserves or to make a jelly.

After more research I knew I definitely wanted to poach then, and then a friend of mine from Twitter a talented baker – Olivier (@GREEDYtweets) sent me an interesting sounding recipe for a vanilla cake with almonds and yogurt and quince. I was sold. I consider cake to be its own very special food group.

His recipe involved first making the vanilla syrup and then cooking them in the oven at a low heat for about 4 – 5 hours, which frankly sounded too long and unnecessary. So I changed this part of it and adapted the recipe slightly and this is what I did to make this rather delicious cake.

I used 3 quinces and what the original recipe called for, but 2 large would be adequate. Or you could do the three large ones and have lovely poached quinces in vanilla syrup as I now have to nibble on later.

What you need to make one large cake: (will feed at least 12 people)

Recipe on Drizzle and Dip

This cake is delicious served with a dollop whipped fresh cream and makes a perfect dessert.

*Tips*

• Poached quinces make an excellent dessert served warm over ice cream or with cream are delicious.
• You could poach them in spicy red wine as I did with these pears as an alternative. They make a perfect winter pud.
• The would work beautifully in a crumble or baked into a pie.