Quince Jam with Rum Raisins

Quince jam with rum raisins turns ripe yellow quinces into a smooth, rosy amber spread dotted with soaked fruit. If you enjoy a substantial fruit spread on toast, this recipe gives you a quince base with raisins folded through it. Plan for the soaking before you begin cooking, since the raisins need at least 2 hours in dark rum.

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Ingredients for quince jam with rum raisins

• 1 1/4 cups raisins
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 2 1/2 lb ripe yellow quinces, rubbed clean, peeled, cored and finely chopped, about 6 cups
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Have the quinces prepared before they go into the heavy pot. The recipe calls for finely chopped fruit, so finish peeling, coring and chopping before starting the simmer. Keep the lemon juice and sugar aside at this stage; they go in after the softened quince has been blended smooth.

Let the quince soften before adding sugar

The covered simmer is a separate stage from the jam boil. Cook the quince with the apple juice and water for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, and check that the fruit is very soft before blending. The stated texture matters alongside the time: firm pieces are a sign that the quince has not reached the point described in the recipe.

Blend the softened mixture smooth before adding the lemon juice and sugar. This establishes the texture of the jam around the raisins. Once those raisins go in, the recipe calls for a final boil rather than another blending step, so finish smoothing the quince first.

Stay with the pot during the jam boil

After the sugar goes in, the mixture needs constant stirring because it sticks. Have your frozen plates ready before this stage begins, so you can check the set without searching for equipment while the jam cooks. The recipe gives two ways to judge readiness: a temperature of 220°F or a wrinkle on a frozen plate.

Keep the soaking bowl close by, too. Both the raisins and any rum remaining in that bowl belong in the pot. Stir them through the jam before filling the jars, following the recipe’s tip for even heating throughout each jar.

Cook and jar the jam

• Cover the raisins with the dark rum and let them soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Combine the prepared quinces, apple juice and water in a covered heavy pot. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft. Blend smooth. Put 2 small plates in the freezer.
• Stir in the fresh lemon juice and granulated sugar. Boil over medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly because the jam sticks, until it reaches 220°F or wrinkles on a frozen plate.
• Stir in the soaked raisins and any rum left in the bowl. Boil for 2 minutes more, then take the pot off the heat and skim.
• Ladle the jam into hot clean half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims and add lids and bands.
• Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Add 5 minutes at 1,001 to 6,000 feet, or add 10 minutes above that elevation.

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Toast, jars and the opened batch

Spread the finished jam on toast, letting the smooth quince and the raisins share each spoonful. Stirring the raisins into the whole batch before ladling also means you are filling from one combined mixture. Avoid portioning raisins separately into the jars; the recipe specifically directs you to heat them in the jam.

The batch makes about 5 half pints. Sealed jars keep for 1 year, and opened jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks. Keep that distinction in mind when you open a jar: the longer keeping time applies to sealed jars.

For more fruit-filled baking, try our holiday fruit nut cake , apple cider donut bread pudding or zucchini nut bread with cinnamon .

Questions about the raisins and the set

Can I soak the raisins the night before?

Yes. The recipe allows an overnight soak, as well as a soak of at least 2 hours. Cover the raisins with the measured dark rum before leaving them to soak.

Do I drain the raisins?

No. Add any rum left in the soaking bowl along with the raisins. They then boil in the jam for 2 minutes before the pot comes off the heat.

What if I am checking the set without a thermometer?

Use the frozen-plate test given in the recipe. Check whether a little jam wrinkles on a frozen plate. Put the plates in the freezer during the quince stage so they are ready when needed.

Why might the jam catch on the pot?

The recipe warns that the mixture sticks during the sugar boil. Stir constantly through that stage, keeping attention on the pot while checking for the stated temperature or frozen-plate result.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us