Nicola Galloway’s quince tarte tatin and vanilla poached quince with creamy rice pudding

Saturday, 6 June 2026

Craving a change from apples or pears? Try quince instead, with these two sweet recipes from Nicola Galloway.

I am enamoured with quince, although they are somewhat trickier to prepare compared with apples, as they have tougher skin and denser flesh. Quinces have a more pronounced tart flavour so need a little extra sugar, and turn a glorious amber once cooked.

Today I share two sweet recipes that can be made with really any pip fruit, such as quince, if you can find them, or pears and apples. As always choose varieties that hold their shape during cooking, such as beurré bosc or packham pears, or granny smith apples. First up, the ultimate comfort of creamy rice pudding topped with poached fruit, then the ever-spectacular tarte tatin.

Vanilla poached quince (or pear) with creamy rice pudding

This is the kind of comforting dessert I love to be served. Creamy, lightly-spiced rice pudding topped with vanilla poached quince. If you can’t find quince then use firm pears such as beurré bosc or packham.

Prep time 15 minutes // Cook time 30-50 minutes // Serves 4

Poached quince

2 cups water

1∕₃ cup (70g) sugar

2 tbsp mild honey or extra sugar

½ lemon, juice and zest peeled into strips

½ vanilla pod, split

(or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

3 medium quince or pears

(about 600g), peeled and cored

Rice pudding

½ cup medium grain white rice

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup (250ml) water

1 ½ cups (375ml) milk

½ tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp extract

1 cinnamon stick

pinch of salt

1. Prepare the poached quince. Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla in a saucepan.

2. Slice the peeled quince in large chunks around the core then cut into 1cm wedges. Add the quince to the pan as you go to prevent browning. Cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 35-40 minutes for quince or 20-25 minutes for pears, until tender.

3. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the cooked quince into a bowl – discard the lemon zest.

4. Crank up the heat and cook the syrup until it has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour the syrup over the quince.

5, Make the rice pudding while the quince is cooking. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

6. Cook, uncovered, over a low heat for about 20-25 minutes until the pudding is thick and creamy, stirring occasionally.

7. Serve warm topped with poached quince and syrup.

Quince (or apple) tarte tatin

This is possibly one of my favourite desserts to make as I love the surprise when the tart is flipped out of the pan to serve. Using quince results in a stunning amber colour and unique flavour that pairs well with the caramel. Cooking apples can also be used such as granny smith or braeburn.

Prep time 20 minutes // Cook time 40-45 minutes // Serves 6-8

3 medium quince or apples, about 600g

lemon juice

½ cup (100g) sugar

75g butter

1 sheet of butter puff pastry, thawed

1. Peel and core the quince or apple and cut into 1cm wedges. Place in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon and half of the sugar, toss to evenly coat.

2. Heat an oven-proof frying pan (I used a 25cm cast iron pan) over a moderate heat. Add the butter and once melted scatter over the remaining sugar then remove from the heat.

3. Carefully arrange the quince or apple wedges in the base of the pan in two even layers. Return the pan to a moderate heat and cook, without moving the fruit, for 8-10 minutes.

4. Turn up the heat and cook until the butter and sugar caramelise in the base of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan bake).

6. Cut the pastry into a circle then lay it over the caramelised fruit in the pan using a spatula to tuck in around the sides. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden.

7. Cool for 10 minutes then invert a large plate over the pan, hold with oven gloves and quickly flip over. Give a gentle shake to release the quince from the base of the pan (if some stay put rearrange them back on top of the tart).

8. Slice into wedges and serve warm with yoghurt or cream.

Nicola Galloway is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and culinary tutor. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz

These recipes were first published in 2021.