This berry compote is a colorful and delicious topping to ice cream, cheesecake and other rich desserts. You can even use it for topping oatmeal or granola or yogurt! This recipe is so insanely easy, you'll wonder why you never made it before!
What is a compote?
The word "compote" comes from the Latin word compositus which means "mixture. It is simply fruit cooked with water, with the addition of sugar, spices, and other flavorings if so desired. A compote can be made with a single type of fruit or a mixture and can be served warm or cold.
What You Need
All you need to make berry compote is frozen berries and water. Yes, you read that correctly!
You can also make this with fresh fruit, but I like frozen berries because with frozen, you can make this any time of year and not just in summer when berries are plentiful.
If you want to sweeten your compote, you can use whatever sweetener you prefer, whether it be sugar, honey, maple syrup, stevia, etc. I prefer to make unsweetened compote because I am usually topping something that is already sweet.
How to Make It
In a pot over medium heat, add the frozen berries and water. Stir it occasionally, cooking until the fruit is heated through and the liquid has slightly thickened. This can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
Taste the berry compote and if you want to add any sweetener, add ½ teaspoon at a time, stirring and tasting after each addition until it reaches your desired level of sweetness.
Transfer the compote to a glass jar or storage container and let cool.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! I like using frozen berries because I can make this in winter when berries are not in season.
Options include lemon zest or juice, orange zest or juice, vanilla extract, a cinnamon stick, etc. Add any flavorings to the fruit at the beginning of cooking.
Any sweetener you like will work, like regular sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, stevia, monkfruit, etc. Add the sweetener, a half teaspoon at a time, towards the end of cooking, making sure to taste the compote after each addition until you reach your desired sweetness.
How to Serve It
This berry compote can be served warm or cold and can dress up so many things!
Avoid all the extra sugar in berry-flavored yogurts you buy from the store! Stir some berry compote into plain yogurt to make your own! It would also taste great swirled into a bowl of warm oatmeal!
Despite the fancy sounding name, a compote is really a super simple thing to make. This berry compote is sure to impress not only with it's beautiful color, but with the berry deliciousness it adds!
~ Lisa.
Ridiculously Easy Berry Compote
Ingredients
- 300 grams frozen berries, a combination of blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
- ¼ cup water
- Sugar, or sweetener of choice; optional
Possible Flavorings (add these at the beginning of cooking):
- Cinnamon stick
- Lemon zest or lemon juice
- Orange zest or lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the frozen berries, water in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
- Bring mixture to a simmer, making sure berries are heated through and liquid is slightly thickened.
- If using sweetener: Add sugar, honey, maple syrup, or sweetener of choice, ¼ - ½ teaspoon at a time, stirring after each addition. Taste after each addition, stopping at desired sweetness for your compote.
- Transfer to a clean jar and let cool completely before placing lid on. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen berries. I use frozen because I can make the berry compote any time of year and not just in summer.
- Use different fruits to make a different compotes.
- Use a single fruit or a mixture of fruits.
- If desired, flavor your compote with lemon juice or zest, orange juice or zest, vanilla extract, a cinnamon stick, etc.
- Add flavorings to the compote at the beginning of cooking.
- Add sweetener towards the end, tasting after each addition until you reach the desired sweetness.
- Store in a glass jar or container in the fridge for up to one week.
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