The word compote might seem daunting to some people, but they really are easy to make…all you need is fruit, water, a sweetener, and some spice to kick it up a notch! Make a large batch and freeze in individual portions so you can defrost as you need it.
This past summer we went on a mini-getaway to Nice, France where I picked up a few culinary favourites as souvenirs; herbs de Provence, rose and lavender oil, tapenade, and lavender honey. The last thing I want to do is scare anyone away from this recipe because it calls for lavender honey (which I assume most people do not have as a staple item in their pantry!). The beauty of compotes is that you can experiment with a variety of fruit/spice combos and also use any sweetener of your choice!
1 cup blackberries
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. lavender honey (or agave nectar, brown rice syrup, honey, white or brown sugar)
pinch of clove and/or cinnamon, if desired
*Please note that is is recommended that children under 1 year do not consume honey. Instead, you could simply add regular white or brown sugar to sweeten the compote.
In a small saucepan, bring blackberries and water to a boil on medium heat.
Once boiling, stir in honey and cinnamon/clove then reduce to medium-low heat.
*TIP: You might need to adjust the sweetener depending on the ripeness of the blackberries. The riper the blackberry, the sweeter it is!
Continue to cook on medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, for about 10-12 minutes or until the water is evaporated and the blackberries are soft.
I prefer a chunkier compote (pictured below). For a smoother (or baby-friendly) consistency, continue to cook, adding 1-2 tbsp. of water at a time, until the water evaporates and the blackberries are soft OR simply puree with an immersion blender or food processor.
Compotes are a great item to have on hand as they can be served in a variety of ways…
1) Add a dollop to oatmeal or muesli.
2) Use as a substitute for store-bought jam and spread on toast, waffles or pancakes.
3) Mix into your favourite ice cream.
4) Serve warm, drizzled onto cakes or pies.
5) Spread on crostini with goat cheese.
6) Use as a filling in crepes.
7) Serve alone or with yogurt, garnished with crumbled cookies. (pictured below)
