Quince, walnut and fig flapjack

It was a rainy weekend, so I did some baking.

Jelly on a tree

The quinces (Cydonia oblonga) are out, and so are the walnuts (Juglans regia) and figs (Ficus). Here’s a recipe, adapted from Good Food magazine’s 101 Cakes and Bakes, that combines the three:

• Quinces           450g, peeled and cored
• Brown sugar    25g
• Lemon 1
• Fresh figs        100g
• Butter  140g
• Light brown sugar       50g (yes, I know. I didn’t use “Light brown” – I just used “brown.”)
• Honey 140g
• Oats    250g
• Ground cinnamon       half a teaspoon
• Ground nutmeg           half a teaspoon
• Walnuts           25grams, chopped
• Preheat oven to 190ºC.

Slice the quinces, add the brown sugar, the fresh figs and the lemon juice, and cook over a very low heat until the mixture becomes quite dry. Use the liquidiser to produce a paste – it should be the consistency of a good paté…

Melt the butter, light brown sugar, honey and add the oats and spices. Add about half of the walnuts. Stir.

Thoroughly butter a 20cm x 20cm (approx.) baking dish. Press half the oats/honey/butter mixture into this. Spread the quince/fig paste on top. Now press the remaining half of the oats/honey/butter stuff on top of that – so it’s a sort of quince sandwich.

Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top.

Bake  approx. 30 minutes.

Mark with a knife into squares while it is still hot.

Leave to cool completely.

Eat. Leave a little for your friend.