Three textures : chewy, syrupy and crunchy reunited, to create a magical dessert option made in mostly Balkan villages for centuries, getting the household and its visiting guests through the winter months !

Spoon sweets are a type of sweet preserve that hold a special place in the tradition of hospitality across various regions, including Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Kosovo, Cyprus, the Balkans, parts of the Middle East, and Russia. These delicacies are typically served in a spoon, symbolizing a warm welcome to guests.

Traditionally, spoon sweets are offered to guests by the teaspoon, presented in a small porcelain or crystal glass dish or bowl. They are frequently accompanied by coffee or tea and a glass of cold water.

Spoon sweets can be enjoyed in various ways. Aside from being eaten on their own, they are commonly used as toppings for ice cream or yogurt.

In Western contexts, they may also be spread on toast for breakfast. Additionally, they are often paired with cheese, lke “membrillo”, providing a delightful contrast of flavors.

Since it is quince season now, why not give it a try ? … :)

quince « spoon sweets » preserves in syrup with almonds

29.11.2025

1 kg or 3 cups

ingredients

1,0 kg (8 cups) peeled & cored & sliced ripe quince (from an initial weight of 1,25 kg whole quince)
1,0 kg (5 cups) sugar
90 ml (2 tbsp + 4tbsp) lemon juice
5 grams (1-2 stems) geranium leaves
10 grams (2 strips) lemon peel
2,5 grams (½ tsp) fine sea salt
100 grams (¾ cup) blanched and roasted almonds, whole or halved

instructions

wash, core and peel quince and reserve the peels and cores and place them inside a casserole with 2-3 cups water (or enough water to barely cover them) and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for 15-30 minutes, then let cool down and strain and reserve the pectin-rich liquid and discard the boiled peels and cores
fill a bowl with 4 cups of cold water and 2 tbsp lemon juice and as you thinly slice the quince, add the slices to the water, to avoid the slices from quickly browning
strain (discard the lemon water) and transfer the quince slices to a large bowl, add the sugar and salt and the 4 tbsp of lemon juice and let sit overnight until the quince slices release their juices (you should end up with approximately 4-5 cups of shriveled slices and 3-4 cups of darker juice)
transfer the 4 cups of quince slices, the 4 cups of juice and the 1 or 2 cups (enough to cover the slices) of the boiled water (from the peels and cores) to a casserole, add the lemon peel and geranium leaves and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, until the slices are more tender and redder, then remove from the heat and let sit for 24 hours until the next day
on the next day, bring the mixture to a boil again, reduce the heat to very low and let gently simmer for another 30 minutes until the slices are tender and the syrup is as thick as maple syrup
*note : if the slices are not tender enough, repeat for a 3^rd day, but if the syrup is too thick, then add some water to thin it out, but if the syrup is still not thick enough, strain the slices and gently boil the syrup for 5 minutes to thicken it …
when the hot mixture of slices and syrup are of the correct consistency, then add the blanched and roasted almonds and stir in
store the hot mixture in several hot sterilized jars, leaving 1 cm on top, tightly screw on lids, turn the sealed jars upside down and wait until completely cooled, then turn the jars right side up and store in a cool space or pantry for up to 1 year.

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quince « spoon sweets » preserves in syrup with almonds

1 kg or 3 cups

ingredients

instructions

quince « spoon sweets » preserves in syrup with almonds

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