poland

Dried Fruit Compote

A traditional Polish non-alcoholic beverage based on dried fruit. Although it is served mainly at Christmas Eve dinner, there are fans who like to drink it all year long as it quenches thirst really well.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

  • approx. 1 kilo dried fruit (apples, pears, plums, apricots) in roughly equal proportions

  • 4 litres cold water

  • approx. 6 tbsp sugar (or add sugar to taste)

 

OPTIONAL

  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • several cloves
  • anise star
  • a morsel of scaled orange peel (only the orange part)
  • a fresh apple
  • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice

PREPARATION

  1. Rinse dried fruit, put them into an extra-large pot, cover with water and soak for approx. 30 minutes. You may add a cinnamon stick, clovers, star anise and orange peel.
  2. Later, bring to boil on low heat and add sugar. Continue boiling on low heat for approx. 10 minutes until dried fruit are soft, but don’t fall apart.
  3. Cut the apple into eighths and add shortly before you remove the pot from the heat. Add lemon juice.
  4. Leave the compote aside for approx. 2-3 hours. Later, you may pour it into jugs and add some fruit. You may serve the remaining fruit on platters for tea.

 

TIPS

When you buy packaged dried fruit make sure they are not smoked (read the ingredients label). They should be dried only.

Fruit swell during cooking, so remember to use an adequately large pot.

Compote is rich and delicious even if you don’t use optional ingredients.

 

/KwestiaSmaku.com

You will find an original recipe in Polish HERE.

11.12.2018