Almond Quince Cake

By Reen

Wine Enthusiast March 2013

Ingredients

• Quince:
• 14 Quinces, 8 chopped into 1 inch cubes, plus 6 quinces, peeled for melon balling and poaching
• 5 c sugar
• Frangipane:
• 8 oz butter, softened, plus more to grease parchment paper
• 1 1/8 c sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/3 c almond flour
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 Tb amaretto
• vanilla ice cream,
• High quality olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

PreHeat oven to 350

Combine the 8 chopped quinces and sugar in a sauce pan. Pour enough water in the pan to cover the quinces by a few inches. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the syrup becomes rudy red (add water if too much evaporates)

Use melon baller to create the quince balls. Place the quince balls into the syrup and cook over low heat until tender. Remove the quince balls from the syrup and transfer to a dish, allowing the quince balls to cool in the refrigerator.

In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. Add the egggs one at a time, and continiue to whip the mixture until it's light and stiff.
Incorporate the flours in three stages, adding the amaretto between the second and third additions.

Line cake pan with greased parchment paper, and pipe a 1/2 inch thick layer of frangipane into the pan. Drain and pat dry the quince balls, press them into the frangipane in an even layer.

Bake in over until dark, golden brown in color. Remove the pan from the oven, and the cake from the pan. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, then drizzle with olive oil.