This compote is a great recipe for using up strawberries that are in danger of going bad, or for when you have a surplus from a days fruit picking. Anytime I see reduced punnets of strawberries in the supermarket I get one to make up some compote, as it doesn’t matter if the strawberries are a bit soft as they will be heated anyway, accompanied by some sharp lemon and a bit of sugar.
It often baffles me that strawberry compote with yoghurt and granola is expensive to buy from supermarkets, where you usually don’t get the fruit to yoghurt ratio that you prefer and it is served with a bit of slightly soggy granola. Ewww. It is so easy (and much cheaper) to make up your own, and much much tastier.
I tend to leave the pieces of strawberry in, as I love whole pieces of fruit in my yoghurt, but you can always sieve them out to create a smooth strawberry syrup (which goes very nicely in cocktails…)
How to make strawberry compote
The below recipe is a guide of how I like to make my compote, but if you add the lemon and sugar slowly and keep tasting as you go, you can make yours as sharp or as sweet as you like. If you want it a little thinner, just add a splash of water when the heat is low and stir until you reach your preferred consistency.
Ingredients:
- 200g of fresh Strawberries
- 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
- 1 Heaped tablespoon of Caster Sugar
Method:
- Wash the strawberries, then remove the stalks and cut them in half.
- Put a large pan on the stove, add the strawberries and the sugar, and heat them gently.
- Add lemon juice, tasting and adding more as needed.
- Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, then turn down the heat and continue stirring.
- Keep on a low heat for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and then transfer to a bowl (Sieving out the strawberries if desired) and leave to cool.
Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
- 200 g fresh Strawberries
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Caster Sugar(Heaped)
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries, remove the stalks and cut into halves.
- Place a large saucepan on the hob, add the strawberries and sugar and gently heat.
- Add lemon juice, taste and add more as required.
- Bring slowly to a simmer, turn down the heat and stir.
- Keep on a low heat for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and then transfer to a bowl (Sieving out the strawberries if desired) and leave to cool.
What makes a compote?
A compote is a fruit-based dish that can be served as a dessert or a side dish. It typically consists of fresh or frozen fruit that is simmered in sugar and water until it is soft and has a thick, jam-like consistency.
Compotes can be made with a variety of different fruits, and they are often flavored with spices or liqueurs. The most popular types of compotes are made with berries, cherries, or peaches.
During the summer months, compotes make a refreshing and light dessert, and they can be served cold or warm. If you’ve never made a compote before, the process is actually quite simple. All you need is some fruit, sugar, water, and a little patience.
What do you do with a compote?
This compote is so tasty you can just eat it with a spoon…but you can pair it with vanilla ice cream, waffles, fresh yoghurt and granola, pancakes, meringues and fresh strawberries with cream…..the list goes on!
Compotes are also served as a side dish or dessert, and they can be made with almost any type of fruit.
Is strawberry compote the same as jam?
While strawberry compote and jam may have similar ingredients, they are actually quite different. Compote is made by cooking down whole strawberries with sugar to create a thick, chunky sauce.
Jam, on the other hand, is made by crushing strawberries and cooking them with sugar and pectin to create a thick, spreadable paste. So, while they may look similar, strawberry compote and jam are two very different things.
Unlike jams, where the fruit matter is broken down into a more spreadable state, the fruit in compotes is left whole or cut into large chunks.
If you’re looking for a thick, fruit-filled spread for your toast, jam is the way to go. But if you’re looking for a delicious, spoonable sauce to top off your pancakes or ice cream, strawberry compote is the way to go.
How long can you keep strawberry compote?
If it lasts past a few hours without being eaten, the compote should be fine for few days covered with clingfilm in the fridge – if you know it won’t get eaten soon it can be frozen as well.
Also read:
What is the shelf life of strawberries?
What is the shelf life of strawberry jelly?
What is the shelf life of strawberry jam?
How do you thicken fruit compote?
There are a few different ways you can thicken fruit compote. You can cook it for a longer period of time to allow the water to evaporate, or you can add a thickening agent such as cornstarch or arrowroot powder.
You can also add whole fruits such as apples or pears, which will break down and thicken the compote as they cook. Which method you choose will depend on your preferences. If you want a quick and easy compote, cooking it for a longer period of time is the way to go.
If you want a more authentically thick compote, then adding a thickening agent or whole fruits is the way to go. Experiment until you find a method that works best for you.
