Apple Compote Recipe

By
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated May 07, 2020
apple compote
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Peeling off the sharp edges of the sliced apples keeps the syrup bright and clear.
  • Belgian candi sugar has a complex caramel flavor totally unlike that of American brown sugar, but darkly toasted sugar works just as well.
  • Apple cider fortifies the flavor of the fruit and syrup.
  • Gentle poaching keeps the apples tender rather than mushy.
  • A subtle blend of aromatics helps intensify the apple aroma.

With carefully shaped slices of fruit and an aromatic poaching syrup flavored with caramel, cider, and spices, this old-fashioned apple compote proves that attention to detail can elevate even the humblest recipe into something wonderful. Serve it over thick slices of gingerbread, dishes of rice pudding, and scoops of cinnamon ice cream for dessert, or try it for breakfast with crispy yeast-raised waffles and French toast. Don't forget to save the poaching liquid—it's a fantastic swap for simple syrup in your favorite seasonal cocktails.

Recipe Details

Apple Compote Recipe

Active 35 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 8 to 12 servings
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds assorted apples (about 4 large apples; 905g)

  • 16 ounces apple cider (about 2 cups; 455g)

  • 4 ounces Belgian candi sugar or darkly toasted sugar (about 1/2 cup; 115g); see note

  • 1/2 ounce apple cider vinegar (about 1 tablespoon; 15g)

  • 2 cinnamon sticks, preferably cassia

  • 1 whole nutmeg seed, cut in half with a chef's knife

  • One (1-inch) strip fresh ginger

  • One (1-inch) strip lemon peel

  • Pinch salt

Directions

  1. For the Compote: Peel, quarter, and core apples, then slice into 1/2-inch pieces. With a vegetable peeler, trim away the sharp edges of the fruit, leaving each piece with smooth, rounded edges.

  2. Combine apple slices, cider, candi or toasted sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ginger, lemon peel, and salt in a 3-quart stainless steel saucier. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring from time to time, until apples are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. The exact timing can vary dramatically depending on the specifics of your stove, cooking vessel, and apple types, so pay more attention to the texture of the apples than to a specific timeline.

  3. Transfer fruit to a serving dish, along with enough syrup to keep apple slices moist and well-sauced. Return aromatics to remaining syrup. Enjoy compote warm or at room temperature.

  4. For the Syrup: Return syrup to a simmer and cook until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Transfer syrup and aromatics to an airtight jar; use like simple syrup in your favorite cocktails and desserts.

Special equipment

3-quart stainless steel saucier

Notes

This recipe works best with the caramel notes of Belgian candi sugar or darkly toasted sugar, but if you'd prefer the tangy flavor of molasses, an equal amount of brown sugar or turbinado can be used instead.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
59 Calories
0g Fat
15g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 59
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 13mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 11mg 53%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 80mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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