How to cook dried fruit compote

From what to cook dried fruit compote

Compote can be prepared both from some of dried fruits, as well as from the different mixtures. It all depends on what kind of dried fruit you can find and taste what you want to achieve.

The classic combination of - a mixture of dried apricots, apples, pears and prunes. It's a win-win mix, from which we obtain a delicious and flavorful compote, familiar to many from his childhood. And they make it so mostly pears.

Generally, each fruit is able to give the drink a special taste. For example, from dried pears, dates, figs, or obtained sweet compote. Pleasant acidity provide rosehip, cherry, dogwood, barberry and any other berries. Drink from dried apples It turns sour and sweet, but it all depends on the variety. Very interesting compotes are obtained with the addition of dried bananas, peaches and quince.

To determine for themselves the perfect combination, will have to experiment. If everything is done correctly, compote of any ingredients from delicious. Here are some popular combinations of 4 liters of water:

1. 200 g + 100 g apple pear + 50 g + 50 g prunes apricots.
2. 200 g of dried apricots + 100 g + 100 g quince bananas.
3. 200 g + 200 g prunes apricots.
4. 300 g + 100 g figs hips.

But the most important thing when cooking compote - select high-quality dried fruits.

How to choose a good dried fruit

Do not let the shiny, bright, beautiful dried fruits bribe you. The glossy surface indicates that the fruits treated with chemicals. So it is better to take a nondescript merchandise.

Here are guidelines for choosing the common dried fruits:

1. Dried apricots It should not be bright and perfectly flat. After natural drying apricots are either dark brown or dark orange to matt wrinkled surface.
2. prunes It must be black, pretty dry and shiny.
3. Good raisins wrinkled has a matte surface. It should be black, dark brown or dark orange. Any grape variety in the drying process gets dark, so bright golden color raisins indicates the presence of chemicals. There is another unusual way to know the quality of raisins - throw it on the table. If he fell with a slight knock, then good fruit.
4. dates You should not be shiny and have cracked and sticky rind. Better to take the fruit of the bone, because they have more vitamins.
5. figs It must be light beige or light brown. Do not be put off by white bloom on the fruit: it emerges glucose, which means that before you sweet figs.

In general, if you hesitate between the counter incredibly beautiful and very unappetizing dried fruits, choose the latter.

How to cook dried fruit compote

So you picked up a high-quality dried fruits. Before cooking the compote, rinse them thoroughly under running water and, if so, remove the stalk and leaves. Then soak the fruit in a cool boiled water for 15-20 minutes.

In water, surface dried fruits straightens out the folds eluted dust and all kinds of dirt.

In addition, water helps to remove substances that processed dry fruits - suddenly the fruit still is not very good quality.

Pour into another pan pure water at the rate of 1 liter per g of dried fruits 100-150. Of course, compote can be and more fruits: then the drink will be more intense. Put a pot on the stove and bring the water to boiling.

Drain the soaked dried fruit with water and rinse again to no dirt left. Pour fruit into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Sugar It can be placed at any time. However, keep in mind that dried fruit itself is very sweet. So someone compote seem cloying and without sugar. If you are not sure of sweets at the end of cooking and cook a few more minutes.

Until cooked compote, you can add a variety of spices. Wonderful aroma will give cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and star anise. If you want to acidify the juice, add a little lemon juice.

A touch freshness will make several branches peppermint or lemon balm.

Remove the ready compote from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for about an hour. So the taste of dried fruits will be revealed fully.

What to do with boiled dried fruits

Firstly, they are, of course, you can eat. And secondly, be used for preparing more what some dishes. Here are some simple, but practical and interesting ideas.

1. Gingerbread with oat flakes

Ingredients

• 150 g of cooked dried fruits;
• 100 g of sugar;
• 2 tablespoons of honey;
• 1 egg;
• 120 g butter;
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda;
• 100 g of oat flakes;
• a bit of powdered sugar.

preparation

Chop the dried fruit in a blender. Add the sugar, honey, Egg and melted butter and mix again. Then add the flour, baking soda and cereal and again whisk blender.

Put the dough into a baking parchment-covered, and bake at 180 ° C 30-35 minutes.

Slice gingerbread, only when it has cooled down. Before serving, garnish the dessert with powdered sugar.

2. Cake with chocolate icing

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 150-200 g of cooked dried fruits;
• 2 eggs;
• 100 g of sugar;
• 120 ml of vegetable oil;
• 1 teaspoon baking powder;
• 2 tablespoons semolina;
• 3 tablespoons flour.

For the glaze:

• 3 table spoons cocoa;
• 3 tablespoons of milk;
• 3 tablespoons sugar;
• 1 tablespoon butter.

preparation

Grind in a blender dried fruits, eggs, sugar and butter. Mix baking powder, semolina and flour, add to the fruit mixture and stir until smooth. Put the dough into a baking dish and put in a preheated 180 ° C oven for 40-45 minutes.

Put in a small pot and the glaze ingredients, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over low heat. pour ready pie Hot icing.

3. fruit fritters

Ingredients

• 100 g of dried fruit cooked;
• 1 egg;
• 2 tablespoons sugar;
• a pinch of vanilla;
• 200 ml of yogurt or yogurt;
• 150 g flour;
• ⅔ teaspoon of baking soda;
• 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

preparation

Chop the dried fruit in a blender, egg, sugar, vanilla and yogurt. Add flour and baking soda and mix until smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry pancakes a few minutes on each side until they are lightly browned.

see also

• 10 hot drinks for those who are tired of regular tea and coffee →
• How much water should you drink actually →
• 5 quick and very tasty cake for tea →