Ingredients
5 cups water
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 quinces, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Make the filling: Bring water, maple syrup, granulated sugar, quinces, and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer in a large pot over medium heat. Cover with parchment, and cook until quinces are soft and rosy pink, about 2 hours. Discard vanilla pod.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the topping: Sift together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and then sift again. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal with some large pieces remaining. Make a well in the center. Pour in cream; stir until combined.
Transfer quinces to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon. Add 1 cup poaching liquid and the cornstarch, and toss to combine. Pour quinces with juices into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Arrange large spoonfuls of topping mixture around outer edge of pie, leaving a space in the center. Sprinkle almonds on top, and bake until liquid is bubbling and topping is golden, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the maple cream: Whisk cream with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in maple syrup. Garnish pie with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with maple cream.
