Easy Fruit Compote Recipe – with 3 different fruits

This easy fruit compote recipe is a fantastic way of turning summer fruit into a delicious fruit sauce. It is such a useful recipe. Make delicious fruit sauces to swirl over porridge, puddings, ice creams or yoghurt. These compotes will make it so easy to get more fruit into your diet and in the most delicious way. Try some!

What is a fruit compote?

So, what exactly is a summer fruit compote? Basically, it’s a delicious fruit sauce made by stewing fruit in a pan on the hob. Add a little water, lemon or orange juice and a little sweetener such as sugar, maple syrup or honey. The fruit becomes a flavourful, syrupy sauce, in hardly anytime at all and it has so many delicious uses.

Although I often buy fruit specifically to make a compote it is also a useful way to preserve excess fruit for a while. Do you grow your own fruit? Do you ever end up with a bit of a glut? If you do, if you ever end up with far more strawberries, raspberries or other tender soft fruits than you can eat before they begin to go off, ‘compote’ them.

Using a simple fruit Compote recipe like this one, also means that you can add lovely spices, ones to highlight the fruity flavours in really neat ways, turning them into something even more delicious. Who even knew that was possible!

What kinds of fruit are suitable to turn into a compote?

Many different kinds of summer fruits make a successful compote and the beauty of this is that the fruit will last a little longer. Berries and soft fruit tend to deteriorate quite quickly so it’s great that a sauce made from the fruit will last up to a week in the fridge. Think of all those fruit-laden breakfasts you can enjoy.

The biggest plus point for me is that the flavours become a lot more pronounced when they’re reduced to make a sauce and if you add any extra spice … wow they’re amazing.

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Here’s a list of fruit that compote really well.

• redcurrants
• blackcurracnts
• gooseberries
• blueberries
• strawberries
• apricots
• plums
• blackberries
• raspberries
• nectarines
• apples

Puddings will never be the same again.

Can I use Frozen fruit?

Definitely. You can make a sauce out of frozen fruit just as easily as fresh fruit. Sometimes, you may find that frozen berries are actually less expensive to buy than fresh ones, particularly in the winter months, so that’s a win.

If you ever come across windfall apples then this is a great thing to do with them. You could use any fruit glut in this way. Don’t forget to add your favourite spices as you cook the fruit for a lovely sauce to spoon over pancakes or through yoghurt.

What can I use fruit compote for?

Here are a few ideas about where you could use your fruit sauce.

• stir through yogurt
• swirl it through porridge
• top your cereal such as muesli for a way of introducing a little more fruit into your day.
• swirl it through ice cream or nice cream
• top chia pudding (See our Vanilla Chia Pudding recipe.)
• layer it through your favourite overnight oats recipes.
• Rice pudding and other milk pudding favourites. These comforting warming puddings are wonderful with added fruit compote.
• drizzle across the top of a delicious cheesecake
• Fill meringues with double cream (dairy or non-dairy) fill with fruit and drizzle with summer fruit compote.
• pancakes – add to your morning pancakes. Delicious.

Fruit compote Recipe: The method

• To begin, make sure that your fruit is clean and free of bits of leaf or stalk. If you’re using stone fruit such as plums, apricots or peaches. It helps to remove the stones before cooking.
• Add the fruit to a suitably sized saucepan, add the orange juice and any other optional ingredients, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat and break up the fruit with a wooden spoon or a fork until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Once the fruit has cooked to a consistency you like, add the sweetener. Fresh fruit has a natural sweetness can vary hugely so test the fruit and judge how much sweetness to add. Leave it as it is, if it seems sweet enough, otherwise add in one tablespoon of maple syrup or agave nectar and stir. Taste again and if it’s still a little tart add more sweetener and taste again. Continue like this until you’re happy with it.

Optional Flavours

If you want to enhance the flavour of the compote there are a few flavourings that work really well.

• lemon or orange juice and zest.
• star anise – this goes so well with berries.
• cinnamon – particularly good with apples.
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or more depending on the amount of fruit being cooked.
• An adult only version – a tablespoon of a liquer such as kirsch.

Storing your compote

Compotes will last for around a week if stored in a sterilised jar in the refrigerator and up to one month if you freeze them.

Freezing your compote means you’ll be able to de-frost just the perfect amount.

What will you use your fruit compote recipe for?

If you like this recipe then you may like these too…

• Vanilla Chia Seed pudding
• Rice Pudding with coconut milk
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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