Cooked quinces in the oven:
Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).

Wash the quinces carefully, removing the fine down, then set them aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Let it boil for 1 minute, then add the vanilla pod or lemon verbena.
Peel the quinces, reserving the skin, and cut them in half lengthwise.
Use a Parisian spoon to remove the core.
Place the quinces in a baking dish, rounded side down, and add the skin and core.

Drizzle with the syrup and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake the quinces in the oven for 2 to 2 and a half hours, turning them every half hour, until they are tender.

Transfer the cooked quinces to a dish with a slotted spoon.
Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan.
Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil, then let it boil for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half and syrupy.
Pour the syrup over the quinces and let cool.
The syrup will solidify and have the consistency of jelly.

Pastry:
Put the flour, lemon zest, and salt in a food processor and mix well in pulse mode.
Add the butter and process again in pulse mode until you get a grainy texture.

Whip the egg yolk, sugar, and lemon juice, and add this mixture to the food processor, then process in pulse mode until the texture is barely homogeneous and the pastry starts to bind.
Transfer the pastry to a floured surface and knead gently to form a ball. Flatten the pastry, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line 8 tartlet molds of 3 and 1/2 ” (9 cm).
Prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Place the tartlets on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes in the oven or until they are golden and crispy.
Let them cool on a rack.

Remove the cores from the quinces, then cut the quinces into thin slices without separating them. Place a half quince in each tartlet, opening the slices slightly in a fan shape.
Brush them with a little of the cooked and melted cooking liquid.