Fantastic Fruit Compote

A compote is a mixture of fruit stewed in syrup that dates back to the 17th century. Originally eaten as a dessert, this recipe makes a delicious start to the day either eaten alone or as the perfect partner for porridge, pancakes or yoghurt.

Ingredients

1 orange
2 small eating apples
2 small pears
4 plums
50g fresh OR frozen blueberries
1 x 5ml spoon runny honey
Cinnamon stick OR ½
x 5ml spoon ground cinnamon

Equipment

Weighing scales
Colander or sieve
Grater
Medium saucepan
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Juice squeezer
Measuring spoons
Vegetable peeler
Wooden spoon
Small mixing bowl
Pan stand
Bowl
Tasting spoon

Instructions

1. Wash the fruit in a colander.
2. Finely grate the orange rind to remove the zest, taking care not to remove the white pith. Place the zest in the saucepan.
3. Cut the orange in half, squeeze the juice and add to the saucepan.
4. Add the honey to the orange juice and zest and mix well.
5. Peel the apples and pears, cut into quarters and remove each core.
6. Chop the apple and pear quarters into 1cm chunks.
7. Add them to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon to coat with the honey and orange juice.
8. Carefully cut the plums in half and remove the stones.
9. Cut each half of plum lengthways into 2 pieces. Place in a small bowl for later.
10. Add the cinnamon stick (if using) or ground cinnamon to the apple, pear and orange mixture.
11. Heat the contents of the saucepan until boiling, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture starts to look dry, add 1 x 15ml spoon of water.
12. Add the plums to the water and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
13. Finally, add the blueberries to the saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes.
14. Carefully remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the compote to a bowl to cool.
15. Remove the cinnamon stick (if using). Serve hot or cold.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, squeezing, grating and boiling/simmering.

Top Tips

• The cooking time still leaves the apples and pears with their shape and some bite. If you want a softer texture, or the fruit is quite hard, allow to cook for an extra 5 minutes before adding the plums.
• If the plums are very hard, add them at the same time as the apples and pears to give them a chance to soften and cook.

Something to try next time

• Fresh, frozen, canned (in natural juice) and dried fruit can all be used in this recipe. You need approximately 400g fruit in total. If using dried fruit, or fruit that is very sweet, reduce the amount of honey. Taste when cooked, making sure the fruit has cooled, and add a little more honey if you think it needs it.
• This is a great recipe for using up leftover fruit. Soft summer fruits need less cooking time than harder winter fruits. Simmer them for approximately 5 minutes, taking care not to overcook, and only use half of the orange juice. Any leftover fruit can be used in a crumble or cobbler.
• Fruit-flavoured tea bags or a sachet of mulling spices can be used to flavour the compote. Remove before serving, and take care not to break them when serving.
• Try using different flavourings instead of the cinnamon – vanilla pods or essence, a few peppercorns (great with strawberries!), a pinch of ground allspice or a few allspice berries, fresh ginger (peel, cut into large chunks then remove before serving), cloves or sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Remember to remove any whole spices or herbs before serving.

Prepare now, eat later

• The compote can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to cool before placing in a sealed container. Heat through gently if you want to serve it warm.
• You can make up large quantities of compote and freeze them for up to 3 months. Freeze in smaller portions and defrost thoroughly before using.