Roast Quinces

Quinces  can  be  small  like  an  apple,  and  they can be huge and weigh up to 1 pound each. You need about ½  pound per  person  so  a  large  one  is  enough  for  two.

• Wash the quinces, rubbing their skins to remove the light down that sometimes covers them in patches. Roast them whole,  in  an  oven  preheated  to  375°F,  until  they  feel soft.  Depending  on  their  size  and  ripeness,  it  can  take from 1 hour up to 2 hours for the largest, so watch them carefully.
• When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half through  the  core,  and  cut  away  the blackened  ends  and the  cores with a pointed knife. Place  them,  cut  side up, on  a baking  sheet. Put  a  sliver of butter on  top of  each half and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Put  them back  in  the oven  for ½  to 1 hour, until  they are  very  soft  and  have  turned  a  rich  burgundy  color.  If you  like, put  them under  the broiler  for moments only, until  the  sugar  just  begins  to  caramelize.  It  fills  the kitchen with a sweet smell.
• Serve hot with clotted cream or mascarpone.