Preserves

Apple Compote for Winter

Compote is the simplest preserve of all: no reducing, just boiling water and sugar. A double pour replaces sterilising, and the apples stay in clean slices because the hot water is poured off rather than boiled with the fruit. Keep the sugar moderate — you can always dilute the finished compote.

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Apple Compote for Winter — the finished dish
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
18
Level
Easy
Per serving
55 kcal

Ingredients

For 2 three-litre jars

Makes: 2 jars, 3 l each

Method

  1. Step 1: Prepare the apples

    Wash them, cut out the cores and slice into large wedges. Small pieces fall apart after the first pour.

  2. Step 2: Fill the jars

    Pack the apples into sterilised jars to about a third of their volume. More than that and the compote turns too concentrated.

  3. Step 3: First pour

    Fill with boiling water to the brim, cover with the lids and leave for 15 minutes so the fruit heats and gives up its aroma.

  4. Step 4: Make the syrup

    Pour the water back into a pan, add the sugar and citric acid, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes.

  5. Step 5: Second pour

    Fill the jars with the boiling syrup right to the top and seal at once.

  6. Step 6: Cool slowly

    Turn the jars upside down, wrap them in a blanket and leave for a day; slow cooling acts as extra sterilisation.

Tips & variations

  • Tip

    The citric acid is there for colour rather than taste: without it pale apples darken within a month.

  • Variation

    A handful of chokeberries or a few plums turn the compote deep ruby with no colouring at all.

  • Tip

    With very sweet apples drop to 200 g of sugar per jar, or you will be diluting it by half in winter.

  • Storage

    A year in a dark place. Do not throw the apples away — they make an excellent pie filling.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving and for the whole dish
1 serving Whole dish 18 servings
Energy55 kcal990 kcal
Protein0 g0 g
Fat0 g0 g
Carbohydrates14 g252 g

Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.

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