Put the boiling water and sugar in a medium sized pan and stir until dissolved

Add the lime zest and juice, star anise, vanilla and cardamom pods

Peel the quinces and cut lengthwise into quarters one at a time. Remove the core and pips. Place the quarters into the pan and submerge before moving on to the next quince.

When all the quinces are in the pan, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Place a cartouche (circle of greaseproof paper with a hole in the middle) over the quinces and simmer for at least 90 minutes until the quinces are pink and tender.

Remove the star anise, vanilla and cardamom pods with a slotted spoon. Then return the quinces to the pan.

Either serve immediately or can be stored in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks before reheating gently.