International Food

One of the best kinds of treats is a frozen popsicle. You can make these as icy or creamy as you like, and you can make them extra healthy, or extra decadent. Both a healthy treat and a rich creamy can't-be-good-for-you concoction are an excellent choice. However, it does present a false dichotomy, because there is an unforgettable third option that ties the two together. It sounds unlikely, I know, but make my fig popsicles and you will see that I speak the truth.

Fig popsicles, as I like to make them use very few ingredients. They have just enough honey to highlight the sweetness of the fig and there is rich creaminess throughout to give the whole popsicle a smooth mouthfeel modified by the texture of flavorsome ricotta cheese. The simple ingredient list is easy to pull together and it ensures a quick prep time while making sure your frozen treat doesn't go overboard on excessive sugars and other additives that make some frozen treats less healthy.

The quick and easy process of making my fig popsicles is part of why I love to make them so often. During the hottest months of the year, I like to keep them on hand. The one downside to this is that you have to wait a considerable amount of time before you can enjoy one of these and you really do want to have them ready so that you can just reach into the freezer and pull one out on a whim.

Fig is a really lovely fruit to enjoy throughout the year but of course they taste even better when they're in season. It's a choice ingredient for a lot of holiday recipes, so despite the cold factor, it makes a delicious treat even in winter.

You can enhance the recipe for these fig popsicles by incorporating some ground cloves and pepper for some subtle heat to compliment the popsicles' sweet flavor and the cool creamy quality.

Fresh Fig and Ricotta Popsicle

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

A sweet treat that's super simple to make - you'll love these fig popsicles!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 4 figs
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 tbsp honey

Instructions

Mix cheese, milk, cream and honey together

Cut figs in half or into slices and place in molds

Pour cream mixture on top until full

Place sticks and freeze overnight

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  Popsicle Molds Sets 

When it comes to cooking fruits, there are some common examples that pop up. Apples, pears and berries to name a few. However, quince fruit recipes are far less common especially in North America. Rarely do we see fresh quince and few people even know how to prepare or eat a quince.

But they're missing out!

Quince are very versatile and a unique addition to both sweet and savory dishes.

What is Quince?

The quince is a cousin of the apple and pear, which makes sense as it resembles both fruits. The tree itself is popular with landscape architects because it produces a beautiful pink blossom. It is a hard fruit that grows in all regions of the world but is especially popular in South America, Mediterranean countries and the Middle East.

What does quince taste like?

Eaten raw quince is bitter and difficult to even bite. However once cooked it tastes like a mix between a pear and an apple. It can have a slightly mealy texture and usually sugar is added to enhance the natural flavors.

Can you eat raw quince?

You can eat a quince raw but you probably don't want to. It has a very tart flavor and in many cases may be too hard to chew. No harm will come to you if you decide to eat it – I just wouldn't suggest it.

How is quince used?

Quince is used in a variety of ways however the most common or known way is as a paste. In Spanish it's known as membrillo but can also be referred to as quince cheese. Essentially it's a thick paste made from quince with sugar added. Quince has a lot of natural pectin which helps bring it together to a thick jelly consistency.

Quince can also be steamed, stewed or made into jams and jellies. It's popular to bake into desserts. In Morocco and other places it can be served alongside meat dishes as a sweet and savory play on flavors.

How do you cook quince?

No matter how you decide to prepare your quince, one of the first things you'll do is peel the quince. Then you'll need to remove the flesh from the core. The easiest and most common way of cooking it is to boil it either in water or another liquid to soften the flesh.

After this has been done you can further reduce the fruit into a jam or jelly. Or you can prepare it with spices and flavors to create some depth of flavor. Finally, it can be added to thinks like cakes or tarts and baked.

Quince Fruit Recipes to Try

How to Make Quince Paste

How to Freeze Quince

The Best Cheeses to Pair with Quince

Halal Monte Cristo with Quince Jam

Chicken and Walnut Tajine with Quince

One Pot Beef and Quince Tajine

Fresh Quince Cake with Walnuts

20 Quince Recipes to Try This Fall

8 Delicious Quince Dessert Recipes

14 Savory Quince Dishes for Dinner Tonight

The quince is an under appreciated fruit in most of North America and parts of Europe but is popular throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and South America. Quince are available only certain times of the year meaning you need to take advantage when they appear!

The most common quince fruit recipes are for desserts, which makes sense as they need to be cooked to be really enjoyed. If you're looking to purchase them fresh, they look like this;

They feel like a very hard apple and have a slightly fuzzy skin. They do need to be peeled and cooked before eating because they have a very bitter taste when raw. Because they need to be cooked in advance it's what makes them ideal for desserts!

Quince taste slightly sweet when cooked, similar to the taste of a cooked apple but the texture of a cooked pear. The following recipes use quince fruit in a variety of ways; in baked dishes, as jelly or jam and poached and served.

8 Sweet Quince Dessert Recipes to Try

Quince is an under appreciated fruit but you can enjoy it when you make one of these delicious dishes.

Quince Cake with Walnuts

This coffee cake uses fresh quince and walnut for a decidedly fall-feeling dessert (or breakfast!)

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Photo Credit: fussfreeflavours.com

How to Make Easy Quince Jelly - Step by Step

Quince jelly is a quintessential British preserve. Delicious flavours of roses and apple come together in a golden pink jelly. Perfect for spreading on toasted crumpets, it’s easy to make. This quince jelly recipe tells you everything you need to know to make perfectly set jelly every time.

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Photo Credit: hildaskitchenblog.com

Quince Jam and Preserves (muraba't sparijleh)

If you're new to quince fruit, you're in for a real treat. Quince is delicious when slow-cooked to make jam or preserves.

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Photo Credit: www.unicornsinthekitchen.com

Persian Quince Jam - Morabba Beh

Morabba Beh is a traditional jam.This fragrant fruit gives you such delicious and tangy jam that you can use in your breakfast parfaits with fruit, or just have it with some bread!

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Photo Credit: familyspice.com

Apple Quince Crisp with Cardamom and Rosewater

Bring the flavors of the middle east to your dessert table this fall with this apple quince crisp with cardamom and rosewater.

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Photo Credit: www.runningtothekitchen.com

Orange Ginger Pear and Quince Crisp

This orange ginger pear and quince crisp will make your whole house smell like the perfect fall candle while it’s baking. It’s a simple seasonal treat everyone will love and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

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Photo Credit: champagne-tastes.com

Quince Tart

This quince recipe is for a quick and easy puff pastry tart topped with shaved almonds and a creamy mascarpone whip.

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Photo Credit: family-friends-food.com

Quince & apple sponge-crumble (aka quapple spomble!)

Quince & apple compote is topped with a light sponge and a layer of spiced crumble to create an irresistible dessert. Delicious served hot, warm or cold.

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Quince were a fruit that I had never encountered until we moved to Morocco. Quince fruit recipes in Morocco are prepared to taste sweet but are served with savory dishes – a common element found in a lot of Moroccan food. So when I had the idea to make a quince cake I wasn't sure how it would go over.

I have to say this recipe was a major home run for me. Rarely do I make baked goods that my in-laws not only like but actively praise – especially my mother in law. This recipe was one that she really liked!

Even though this recipe uses fresh quince, the quince are cooked. You can eat quince raw but it tastes awful so I would highly recommend not trying that. You do need to wash and peel the quince first. They do have a hard core, much harder than an apple for example. I wasn't able to cut through the middle of the fruit so I cut around the edges – similar to how you'd cut a mango.

The fruit that you use can be any size or shape. I went with small cubes but you could just as easily use long strips or larger chunks. Just try to keep them all similar in size so that they cook through at rough the same time.

I served this warm with just the syrup on top however it would also be great with some whipped cream or really good vanilla ice cream.

Quince Cake with Walnuts

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

This coffee cake uses fresh quince and walnut for a decidedly fall-feeling dessert (or breakfast!)

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Ingredients

• 3 medium quince, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup grape juice
• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously coat a bundt pan with butter and flour. Set aside.

Mix 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar together in a small bowl to combine. Peel and core quince and cut into 1-2" pieces. Toss quince chunks with sugar and cinnamon blend.

Place quince mixture into a pot and add enough water to cover the quince about 1/2 way. Turn the heat to medium and allow to boil until the quince are fork tender.

You will need to watch and add more water if it boils down too much. You don't want the quince to burn while also creating a syrup.

When the quince are fork tender, remove. Further reduce the liquid remaining (if needed) until you have a thick syrup.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and grape juice until well blended.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until fully incorporated into a batter. Mix in half of the walnuts.

Pour half of batter into bundt pan, top with half of the quince mixture. Pour second layer of batter over quince, then top with remaining quince and walnuts.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes. The cake is ready when a knife comes out clean.

Warm up the syrup and pour the reduced syrup from the quince over the cake before serving.

What do you do when you're searching for quince fruit recipes and keep running up against recipes that use quince paste? First you need to know the difference.

Quince paste sometimes called membrillo or quince cheese is very popular in Spain, France and several countries in South America but you can find it in many places across the world. It is typically paired with cheeses or used in desserts. Quince fruit is very high in pectin so making this really just requires time and a few ingredients.

The best way to make quince paste it is to buy it. Honestly!

I had started the idea of this post with walking you through the step by step of how to make it yourself at home but halfway through the process realized this is one of those recipes that is not cheaper to make, requires a lot of time (seriously part of the process requires you to stir the pot for 90-120 minutes. I don't know about you but I don't know many people with the time for that.

But that's just the start! You also have to cook the paste in a very low oven for 6-8 hours and then leave it to cool.

See what I mean?

So instead of spending nearly 2 days to make this, I would highly recommend buying it instead. Here are a few to try!

Spanish Organic Quince Paste

Spanish Homemade Membrillo

Carne de Membrillo

Brindisa Membrillo Quince Paste

If you still really, really, really want to try making your own quince paste then I found a few recipes that will walk you through it step by step.

Membrillo from Simply Recipes

Sweet Quince Paste from Daring Gourmet

Italian Quince Paste from ITALY Magazine

Nothing is better than Taco Tuesday. No matter how you like them, tacos are an incredible dish. They can be as hearty as you like, or a quick tasty snack. You can make very healthy tacos, or you can make them over-the-top decadent.

One thing is certain when it comes to making the best tacos and that is the importance of a really good homemade taco seasoning. You can make the most tender shredded chicken or beef and even with the natural juices, a great taco seasoning is necessary to bring home the depth of flavor that you crave.

Flavor and Value in Homemade Taco Seasoning

The secret to my homemade taco seasoning recipe is Ancho chili powder because it does provide that deep smokey flavor that elevates the seasoning and makes tacos more delicious. If you don't have any ancho, it's okay to sub with regular chili powder, but it will lose some of that nuance.

Another substitute you could make with this recipe (it's spicy) is replacing the hot chili powder with regular chili powder. As is, this taco seasoning is flawless. You're going to love taking that first bite. Just use two tablespoons instead of using a packet from the store. You can really save money if you triple the recipe and store it in a larger jar for more frequent use.

This recipe scratches every itch, especially since it is GF, vegan, low carb, and clean eating friendly. This recipe takes only five minutes to do. It requires no cooking and it makes about three servings or 1/3 cup of seasoning. You can also use it as a marinade by adding some lemon juice and corn oil.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Craving tacos but all out of seasoning mix? Make your own with this simple spice combination!

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons of Hot Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Ancho chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoon dried onion powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Measure all of the spices and mix together.

Notes

You can double or triple this recipe and store the extra spices in a tightly sealed jar for easy use in the future.