You may have come across a funny looking fruit while roaming around the farmer's market or puttering through the produce isle at the grocery store these last couple of months. Golden yellow in tone, with a knobby and irregular shape, it looks something like a cross between an apple and a pear Dream beauty pro. While closely related to both, this odd-looking fruit isn't either: It's a quince.

First, let's get the dire warnings out of the way: You don't want to just bite into this thing. It might look like a knobbly apple, but when raw, the flesh is way too tannic and puckery. But take a sniff: The fruit smells like a cross between apple, pineapple, and vanilla, and that's the flavor you'll taste once you cook the fruit. Quince even turn pink when cooked, almost like they're trying to encourage you to cook them.

Yep, quince deserves to be the iconic fruit of winter because, unlike some other fruits, it actually only works in cozy, comforting cooked-fruit desserts. The season for quince is short, from mid-fall to the end of the year, so get your hands on a bagful while you still can. Here's a few of our favorite recipes showcasing the fruit:

Apple and Quince Crisp with Rum Raisins

This simple, crowd-pleasing crisp is best served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream Dream beauty pro. It's a great gateway dessert for quince newbies, since the fruit is paired with more-familiar apples. Rum-soaked raisins make this fruit crisp extra special.

Quince Poached in Cardamom Syrup

Poaching is the most popular way to cook quince and the easiest way to bring out all of its wonderful qualities. Here, slices are poached with plenty of citrus slices and cardmom pods. The result is tender and spicy, perfect served as a light dessert with fresh whipped cream or over your morning Greek yogurt.

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Quince Compote


White wine-poached quince becomes a delicious compote to spoon over this no-bake cheesecake made rich from mascarpone. Reducing the poaching liquid not only helps thicken the compote but it also intensifies its flavor.

Lamb Chops with Poached Quince and Balsamic Pan Sauce

This is a recipe that shows just how versatile quince can be. Just like apples and pears, its sweetness is a great contrast to savory, meaty dishes. Here Dream beauty pro, quince is poached with thyme and served over pan-seared lamb chops.

Quince and Currant Chutney

This is a recipe that shows just how versatile quince can be. Just like apples and pears, its sweetness is a great contrast to savory, meaty dishes. Here, quince is poached with thyme and served over pan-seared lamb chops.

Quince and Currant Chutney

While we love a good apple tarte Tatin, after swapping out apples for quince, we may have a new favorite. The best part about this twist on the classic French dessert? Unlike apple tarte Tatin, where you have to make the traditional caramel that coats the tart's skillet separately, here it's made simply by reducing the quince poaching liquid.