Wash and core the quinces.

Dice the quinces and place them in a large saucepan. Pour water so that to cover the fruits.

Bring to boil and cook under medium heat for 45-55 mins until the fruits are soft.

Remove the pan from heat. Drain the fruits once the mixture has cooled down. Place the cooked quinces in a colander over a large salad bowl and mash them to extract as much juice as possible.

Put the quince mash in a blender and whizz until smooth. Weigh the quince paste. Transfer to a large saucepan. Add equal weight of sugar plus 1 tsp vanilla extract. Cook under medium / high heat stirring constantly until the paste detaches from the pan and you have a nice amber colour (the more you cook quince paste the darker it gets).

Line a shallow dish (around 30 x 20 x 2cm) with baking sheet. Pour the quince paste into it. Try to keep the thickness to 2cm otherwise it will take too long to dry. Leave to dry for 5-7 days before cutting it out.

To speed up the drying process you can dry the paste in the oven at very low temperature (50°C/120°F) for 1h30. You will still need to leave it to dry for 2 days.

The quince paste will keep in an airtight container for a few weeks.