Colares Reineta Apple Paste
Also known as: Reineta Apple Paste · Reineta Apple Marmalade
A firm Colares Reineta apple paste, sweet yet tangy, sliced like Portuguese quince paste.
- Origin
- Colares · Sintra
- Region
- Colares · Sintra
- Season
- Autumn · Reineta apple season
Reinetada de Colares turns Reineta apples and sugar into a firm, concentrated, sliceable fruit paste, similar in technique and service to Portuguese quince paste. Reineta apples retain a characteristic acidity that balances the concentrated sweetness and distinguishes the product from quince marmelada.
A study by the Santarém School of Agriculture analysed three independent production batches from Colares. Its published composition—about 60.3 g sugars and less than 0.1 g fat per 100 g—confirms that this is a concentrated fruit paste, not a tart or cake.
- Reineta apples
- Sugar
Concentrated sweetness, lively apple acidity and a dense, smooth, sliceable texture.
Concentration, colour and firmness vary by batch and cooking point. It should not be confused with Reineta apple tarts or loose preserves, or with quince paste.
Look for it from producers in Fontanelas and Colares, at local Reineta apple festivals and in Sintra regional-food shops; confirm seasonal availability.
Mature or fresh cheese, rustic bread, walnuts and tea; it also supplies a tangy accent on a cheese board.
The Reineta apple is emblematic of Fontanelas and rural Sintra, where the Atlantic climate suits the Canada Gris variety. Reinetada also emerged as a way to give value to small apples that would struggle to reach the fresh-fruit market.
The sweet became a candidate for Portugal’s 7 Sweet Wonders in 2019. Since 2022, the municipal rules for Sintra’s annual confectionery festival have explicitly listed Reinetada de Colares among the municipality’s recognised traditional sweets. Local production remains associated with Quinta da Reineta and Fontanelas apple festivals.
Sources: revistas.rcaap.pt · diariodarepublica.pt · visitsintra.travel · jornaldesintra.com · a2s.pt
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