This apple compote recipe is a small batch recipe and is a super easy one. Lightly flavored with cinnamon, the compote has the perfect balance of sweet, tangy and warm spices and makes a great filling and perfect topping for breakfast and desserts.
Jump to:
❤️Why you will love this recipe
- You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this homemade compote recipe – apples, sugar, lemon and cinnamon powder and you can have a batch of fresh apple compote in under 20 minutes.
- In a typical apple compote recipe, the apples are normally cubed, but I choose to grate mine into thin strips. I used a grater but you can always cut them into thin slices with knife. Making the compote with apples in grated form makes it must easier to use it as a filling, particular for desserts like this apple mousse.
- This compote recipe also lasts well, which means to you can make it in advance and keep it for a good 1 week in the refrigerator.
- It is a great way to use up apples during apple season too.
Like this easy recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out
📋Ingredients
- Apples - I use green apples. Any other types of apples can be used to make the compote.
- Brown sugar - both light and dark brown sugar will work for this recipe.
- Cinnamon powder - adds a lovely aroma to the compote.
- Fresh lemon juice - enhances the taste of the compote. Make sure to strain the juice to remove any seeds.
*Refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities of the ingredients above. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*
🧾Substitution and variations
- Apples can be cut into cubes instead of grated. When grated, the juice from the apple and the sugar produces sufficient liquid for the apples to cook in without burning, but when cut into cubes, there might not be much juice from the apples. Add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of warm water and cook the apples on low heat so that the mixture does not dry up too fast. Also make sure to stir the mixture constantly.
- If you wish to make the compote less sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar used. You can also replace the brown sugar with white sugar.
- Similarly, you can also adjust the amount of ground cinnamon and lemon juice in your recipe to suit your taste. You can also add some lemon zest if you like.
- And if you do not have cinnamon powder, you can add a small piece of cinnamon stick to the apples as they cook and discard it after cooking.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you do try, please let me know in the comments section below!
👩🏻🍳How to make
Preparing the apples
- Quarter the apples on a cutting board and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler or knife. Grate the apple slices with a cheese grater. If the grater is too fine, cut the fruits into thin strips.
- Mix with lemon juice to avoid the color from changing.
Cooking the compote
- Add the grated apples into a small pot.
- Measure in the sugar and cinnamon powder and stir to mix.
- Turn on the fire to a medium heat and cook the fruits.
- As the sugar and fruits get heated up, you will see more liquid in the pot.
- Continue to cook on low flame until the syrup reduces to your desired consistency and the grated apples soften. Stir to avoid the fruits from burning. If you are using cubed apples and there is not enough liquid in the pot, you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm water to help the apples cook. Keep the heat to a low flame.
- Remove the compote from heat and let it cool slightly before using. If not using immediately, let it cool to room temperature before filling it into a dry mason jar or airtight container and refrigerating. The compote can be enjoyed both warm and cold.
🍽️Serving & storage
- This spiced apple compote can be kept at room temperature for one day. If you wish to keep it longer, it would require to be refrigerated.
- Store it in a dry container or mason jar (with lid) before placing in the refrigerator. It can last in the fridge for approximately 1 week.
💡Expert tips
- This apple compote recipe can be made with any variety of apples. I prefer to make it with green tart apples (Granny Smith apples) as their slightly sourish taste complements perfectly with the sugar and the cinnamon.
- Green apples also tend to not get too soft with cooking so if you like to have bit of apples as you eat the compote, green apples would be a better option.
- Make sure to stir the apples constantly as they cook to prevent the bottom from burning.
⭐What can you use this compote for?
- This compote works great both as a filling as well as topping in both sweet and savory dishes.
- You can use it to make apple pie, use it as a perfect topping for your favorite vanilla ice cream, filling for apple mousse and cupcakes, topping for waffles and much more.
- It can also be added into breakfast dishes like oats, onto French toast and on top of pancakes.
- You can serve a small bowl of apple compote as a dip or garnish for your charcuterie board.
💭FAQs
Both compote and coulis are fruits cooked in sugar. The only difference is that compote contains fruit chunks, the coulis is in a puree form.
Fruit compote is literally fruits cooked in syrup. The fruits are often added in whole or chopped into cubes before being cooked with sugar until they soften. The cooking process produces thick sauce from the fruits and the sugar without totally mashing up or pureeing the fruits, resulting in a thick fruit sauce filled with fruit pieces.
Coulis on the other hand, is made in the same manner, except that the fruits are either mashed with a fork or masher or processed in a food processor and thereafter strained to remove any pulp for a smooth fruit sauce.
Compote and jam look almost the same, however, compote does not contain pectin.
Compotes tend to have large chunks of fruit and are meant to be used as filling. They may not be well spreadable. Jam, on the other hand, may also have chunks of fruit in it, but is often at a spreadable consistency.
❤️More recipes you will love ❤️
Do you like this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating in the recipe card below and consider a review further down this page. I would love to hear from you. Thank you!
📖Recipe
Apple Compote
For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.
Ingredients
- 2 apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 35 g brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder (ground cinnamon)
- 3 tablespoon water (only if required)
Instructions
- Cut the apples into quarters. Peel the skin, remove the seeds and grate into strips.
- Add the grated apples into a small bowl and mix in the lemon juice.
- Transfer the apples into a small pot and add the sugar and cinnamon powder.
- Turn on the heat to a medium low flame and stir to mix the sugar into the apples.
- The fruits and sugar mixture will release liquid as you cook them. If not, add about 2 or 3 tablespoons water. Stir occasionally until the apples become soft and the compote has reached the consistency you desire.
- Turn off the heat and let the compote cool down before using. Keep leftovers in a dry container with lid and keep refrigerated.
Notes
- Apples can be cut into cubes instead of grated. When grated, the juice from the apple and the sugar produces sufficient liquid for the apples to cook in without burning, but when cut into cubes, there might not be much juice from the apples. Add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of warm water and cook the apples on low heat so that the mixture does not dry up too fast. Also make sure to stir the mixture constantly.
- If you wish to make the compote less sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar used. You can also replace the brown sugar with white sugar.
- Similarly, you can also adjust the amount of ground cinnamon and lemon juice in your recipe to suit your taste. You can also add some lemon zest if you like.
- And if you do not have cinnamon powder, you can add a small piece of cinnamon stick to the apples as they cook and discard it after cooking.
Leave a Reply