Recipe: Glossy Fruit Sauce For Monsoon Breakfasts & Desserts
15 mins
Cooking Time
Easy
Difficulty
7
Ingredients
Vegan
Diet
The 10 minute cherry compote recipe requires only a few basic ingredients: dark sweet cherries, sugar, a splash of water or kirsch and almond extract. This gives the sauce a rich, velvety taste with a sweet and somewhat tart flavour and a soft jelly-like texture. You can add a generous spoonful on top of your toasted bread on a lazy monsoon morning or just swirl it into vanilla ice cream to enjoy after supper. Either way, it's a hit.
While it may seem like a daunting task, it is actually quite easy to make this fruit sauce at home. Place cherries, sugar and the liquid (water or kirsch) in a pan. Put on medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until juices dribble and cherries get soft. Add your prepared cornstarch slurry and cook for a minute to let the sauce thicken. No special equipment and no complicated steps. You only need one pan and a wooden spoon.
This cherry compote recipe is a delicious and handy one to have around. It can be used for brunch, a dinner party, or an evening tea-time at home on a rainy day. Make a batch ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to a week. The fruit sauce only gets better as it sits. Simply fill a jar and place it in the freezer and it will last up to two months. Whenever you want to use it, thaw it overnight and it's ready to use.
Mix 1½ tbsp of cornstarch and 1½ tbsp of cold water together in a small bowl. Mix until the cornstarch has dissolved and there are no lumps. Set aside as you'll use this later to thicken the sauce.
Description - Step 2
Step 2: Prep the cherries
Wash and pit your fresh cherries and half them. They release the juices more quickly when cooked in half. If frozen cherries are being used, avoid thawing. Place them directly into the pan and freeze. If using tart cherries then do not half them, they will soften more easily.
Description - Step 3
Step 3: Cook the cherry sauce
Place the prepared cherries in a medium saucepan with the granulated sugar and 2 tbsp of liquid (water or kirsch). Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cherries will soften, collapse a little and drip out a rich, shiny juice. Be sure to take your time in this. Flavour builds with a slow release of juice.
Description - Step 4
Step 4: Thicken the sauce
Cornstarch slurry may settle over time, so give it a quick stir before using. Add it to the cherry mixture and simmer with constant stirring for approximately one minute. The sauce will quickly thicken. Check its readiness by running your finger through the sauce on the back of a wooden spoon. If it stays on a straight line and doesn't run back together, then it is complete. At this stage add the almond extract and optional orange zest.
Description - Step 5
Step 5: Cool and store
Immediately pour the compote into a shallow bowl and let it cool just a bit. Serve warm on pancakes or place in the refrigerator and chill properly for dessert use. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for 1–2 months. Before using, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Yes, cut back a bit on sugar, if desired. For a slightly less sweet version, you can use a bit less sugar on this cherry compote recipe.
Almond extract is not essential but strongly recommended. It brings a warm and nutty undertone which blends well with the natural sweetness of cherries.
They're delicious either way! Warm compote is cosier, richer and a better choice for using on breakfast dishes, while a chilled compote is firmer and better for cool desserts.
Yes! Throw in frozen cherries, no need to thaw. They juice nicely and the quality is the same as fresh cherries.