CONTEST DESSERT: Quince Tart

QUINCE TART
By BumbleBeeBoogie

1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup water
3 large quince, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon each of dried lemon and orange peel
1 - 9-inch almond tart shell, unbaked*
1 cup heavy cream
1 large whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste

Preheat the oven at 425 degrees F. Set the oven rack on the lowest position.

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil; let boil over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Add the sliced quinces and the dried peel and poach over low heat until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Let the slices cool in the syrup. (This may be done ahead.) Drain the quince slices; reserve the poaching liquid and refrigerate in a covered container for other uses**. Arrange the quince slices on the crust overlapping each other in a pretty pattern. Bake the tart for 20 minutes. If the crust darkens too much, cover it with aluminum foil.

While the quinces are baking, beat the cream, eggs, sugar and ginger together well with a fork until the mixture forms ribbons when you life the fork over the bowl.

Remove the tart from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Very carefully, pour the custard mixture over the quinces and with a steady hand return the tart to the oven without spilling the custard over the rim of the tart (or ladle the custard into the tart while it is in the oven). Bake until the custard is just set, about 25 minutes. Cool the tart slightly and serve. Serves 6.

*To convert a regular pie crust to the almond tart crust, use:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground almonds (or hazelnuts)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter in small pieces
1 egg yolk
ice cold water, starting with 1 teaspoonful, if needed to hold the mixture loosely together to pat into the 9-inch pie pan.

Combine ingredients and proceed as for making a standard pie crust.

**The reserved quince poaching liquid is an excellent base for recipes containing pork.