A firm quince-and-sugar paste to slice and serve with cheese.
Codonyat is included in Andorra’s recipe collection and is also made across neighbouring countries. Despite the English name “quince cheese”, the paste itself contains no dairy.
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Chill
- 8 hours
- Total
- 9 hours 55 minutes
- Serves
- About 1.2 kg (30 small portions)
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
The recipe
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Before you start
Prepare the ingredients, follow the cooking stages in order, then allow the stated resting or chilling time before serving.
Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan paid link
- Sharp knife paid link
- Stick blender paid link
- Long-handled spatula paid link
- Small tin and baking parchment paid link
Method
Put the prepared quince and water in a heavy saucepan. Cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add a small splash of water if it catches.
Purée the cooked fruit with a stick blender, keeping the blade submerged. Return the purée and sugar to the saucepan.
Cook over low heat for 45–60 minutes, stirring frequently and then continuously as it thickens. The paste should darken and pull away from the pan; a spoon drawn across the base should leave a clear trail. Timing varies with fruit moisture.
Transfer carefully to a small parchment-lined tin, making a layer about 2 cm deep. The paste is extremely hot and can spit. Cool briefly, then refrigerate within 2 hours.
Chill for at least 8 hours until firm enough to slice. If still soft, serve as a spread; a firmer result needs further gentle cooking before setting.
Chef’s notes
Quince is hard: cut on a stable board with a sharp knife. Use a long-handled spatula when stirring the hot paste.
Tips and variations
The stated yield is approximate because evaporation varies. This is a refrigerated preserve, not a shelf-stable canned product.
Serve with
Cut small slices and offer with cheese or toast. These accompaniments add their own allergens.
Storage
Refrigerate covered at 4°C or below and use within 1 week, or freeze in portions for longer storage. Do not keep this unvalidated preserve in the pantry. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 32°C.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
Nutrition has not been calculated. Values depend on the ingredients and serving size.
Allergens
No milk, egg, wheat or nuts are added to the paste. Check packaged ingredients and any accompaniments.
Made it?
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Questions
Does it contain cheese? No. “Quince cheese” describes its sliceable texture.
Why did it not set? The paste may need more evaporation; fruit moisture also varies.
Sources and recipe context
Kitchen testing confirmed by Sixto Carreon on 3 November 2026. This is an editorial adaptation. Uses prepared fruit weight, specifies water and setting instructions, and requires refrigerated storage.
The featured image was adapted from a licensed photograph using AI-assisted champagne-background and framing edits. It is not a Sixto kitchen-test photograph. The source shows Catalan codonyat, a preparation shared with Andorra. Photographer, licence and editing details are in Editorial Standards.
