Quinces Poached in Black Tea with Rye Crumble

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the quinces and infusion

   Peel the quinces, halve them and remove the cores. Brush them with the lemon juice right away to prevent them from browning. Bring the water, granulated sugar and lightly crushed cardamom pods to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the black tea bags and steep for 4 minutes, then take them out.

   
2. 2

   Poach the quinces gently

   Place the quinces cut-side down in the infusion. Bring it just to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes. After 35 minutes, check the quinces with the tip of a knife: they should be tender all the way through but still hold their shape.

   
3. 3

   Bake the crunchy crumble

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Mix the rye flour, rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, brown sugar and salt. Add the cold butter, cut into small pieces, and rub it in with your fingertips to form coarse crumbs. Spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden. Leave to cool so the crumble firms up and stays crisp.

   
4. 4

   Reduce the syrup and sweeten the cream

   Carefully transfer the tender quinces to a plate. Boil the infusion uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until it has reduced to about 180 ml and is lightly syrupy. Stir the sour cream and powdered sugar until smooth.

   
5. 5

   Serve

   Put half of the sour cream on each plate, add half the quinces, drizzle with a little warm syrup and sprinkle with the rye mixture. Serve the remaining syrup on the side. Serve the quinces warm and keep the sour cream cold for a pleasant contrast.