Quince Cranberry Almond Bars

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! Here are some beautiful holiday bars to make this season. Yes, there’s still time to make these Quince Cranberry Almond Bars for a post-Christmas celebration or a New Year’s brunch. The recipe feeds a lot of people. A lot. Like 20.

They look so fancy, I should call them the Fresh Quince of Bel Air Bars.  Quince is still inhabiting our local markets. Quince adds a unique flavor to this recipe, However, you can easily substitute pears for the quince.

The dried cranberries add a decorative and sweet-sour punch.  The almonds add crunch (did I just rhyme there?)

Poach the quince in a wine, honey, lemon concoction. Do this a few days ahead to save time. Because I am all about lowering holiday menu stress.

Quince?

Quince is a golden-yellow fruit that looks like a cross between an apple and a pear, but it’s far more unusual. It has a tough, aromatic flesh that’s often too hard and tart to eat raw, but when cooked, quince transforms beautifully. It becomes sweet, tender, and deeply fragrant with a flavor that’s a bit floral, like a mix of pear, apple, and even a touch of citrus or vanilla. A perfect ingredient for these Quince Cranberry Almond Bars.

In cooking, quince is often used in jams, jellies, and desserts because it has lots of pectin (a natural thickener). Poached quince is also popular, as the fruit turns a stunning pinkish-red when cooked. This fruit has a long history in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian cuisines, often paired with savory dishes or spiced for depth and warmth.

These Quince Cranberry Almond Bars cheer me up. We are a little out of sorts this Christmas, getting some work done on our house so dust and debris are replacing a tree and decorations this year. However, I’m well aware these are first-world problems. As a result, we will be enjoying a beautiful slate floor by the new year. So I’ve been living vicariously through other friends on FB gawking at their beautiful trees and decorations.

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Quince Cranberry Almond Bars

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, German

Keyword Christmas bars, Christmas Cakes, Christmas Desserts, Christmas Recipes, cranberry almond cake, cranberry cake, quince almond cake, Quince Recipes, Sheet pan cakes, sheetpan cake recipes

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 20 pieces

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 3+ 1/2 lbs fresh quince
• 2 cups white wine
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 cup dried cranberries plus 1/4 cup, separated
• 1 cup blanched almond splinters plus 1/4 cup, separated
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Peel and core the quince. Cut the flesh into small pieces.

2. Place the chopped quince in a pot.

3. Stir in the wine, honey, and lemon juice.

4. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the quince pieces are soft.

5. Drain the quince well, reserving the juice in a separate bowl. Let cool completely.

6. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

7. Line a large baking sheet (11" x 16") with lightly greased parchment paper.

8. Preheat the oven to 350F.

9. Beat the egg whites until foamy.

10. Add the salt and beat until stiff peaks form.

11. In a separate bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy.

12. Slowly add the sugar to the butter, while beating.

13. Beat in the lemon zest.

14. Make sure you stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

15. When the batter comes together, turn the mixer on high and add the egg yolks, one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.

16. Turn the mixer speed to low. Mix in the dry ingredients.

17. Beat in the egg whites.

18. Mix in the quince, cranberries, and almonds.

19. Spread the batter out on the baking sheet.

20. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

21. Let cool completely.

22. Whisk together the reserved liquid and the powdered sugar.

23. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake.

24. Sprinkle the rest of the cranberries and almond splinters over the top.

25. When the icing has hardened, slice and serve.

Like this Quince Cranberry Almond Bars recipe? Also, check out some of these others:

QUINCE STREUSEL ICE CREAM

QUINCE ALMOND BREAD

CREAMY QUINCE HORSERADISH TURKEY BREAST