Ayva Tatlisi

Overhead view of a syrupy quince half with kaymak, pistachios, and a cinnamon stick.

5 from 2 votes

Ayva Tatlisi is a classic Turkish quince dessert made with five simple ingredients. The fruit simmers slowly in syrup until deep red, then gets a spoonful of kaymak and crushed pistachios. It tastes even better the next day, so it is a great one to make ahead.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Chilling Time3

Total Time4 10

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal, Low Salt, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

3 medium quince
1 ¾ cups water (450 ml)
1 cup caster or granulated sugar (200 grams)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 tablespoon pistachio and/or a dollop of kaymak to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To prepare the quinces, cut them in half and remove the seeds and cores. Peeling the quinces is optional and I usually leave them on.
Place the quince halves in a pan along with the sugar, water, quince seeds, cinnamon sticks and/or cloves.
Bring the pan to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and let the quince halves simmer gently with a lid on for about an hour, or until the quinces are tender and pink.
After cooking the quinces, take them out of the syrup and transfer them to a serving dish. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves and let the quinces cool down completely before serving.
After the quince halves have cooled down, transfer them to a serving dish and pour some of the syrup over them.
Chill the dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight until the quince halves are set.
Serve the ayva tatlisi chilled, garnished with crushed pistachios or /and Turkish clotted cream "Kaymak".

Baked Ayva Tatlisi (Optional)

Place the poached quince halves in a baking dish along with the syrup.
Bake them at 180° C - 356° F for about 30 minutes, until the tops caramelize and turn sticky but soft.
Let the baked quince halves cool and chill before serving, just like the poached version.

Notes

Buy firm, fragrant quinces with no bruises. The fruit carries the whole dessert, so pick the best ones you can find.
You do not have to peel the quinces. The skins soften in the syrup as the fruit cooks.
Use a sharp knife for coring. The raw flesh is very hard, and a dull knife can slip.
If the cut halves need to wait, keep them in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice so they do not brown.
Keep the seeds in the pan. They give the syrup its deep red color and thicken it at the same time. If you peel your quinces, add the peels to the pan too.
Cook the fruit on a low heat and give it the full hour. Rushed cooking leaves the fruit pale and the syrup thin. Large or unripe quinces can take up to 90 minutes.
Let the quinces cool completely before you add the kaymak, or it will melt into the syrup.
For a baked finish, place the poached halves in a baking dish with the syrup and bake at 180° C - 356° F for about 30 minutes, until the tops caramelize.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, with some syrup spooned over so the fruit does not dry out. It tastes even better the next day.
The dessert is vegan and gluten free without the kaymak. Apples or pears work with the same method, but they cook faster and will not turn the same deep red.

Nutrition