Compote - the best recipes for hot weather from various berries and fruits

Good day everyone!

It’s the height of summer, it’s not only the beach, the dacha, but it’s also very, very hot. And what could be better in the heat than cold drinks. If you walk around the city, you will undoubtedly escape with cold kvass. But if you are at home or in the country, then undoubtedly a compote made with your own hands, cooled in the refrigerator, will come in handy.

There is nothing complicated in making compotes. Here are some general recommendations.

You can cook a delicious compote from one type of berry, or from several, so to speak, a mix. Not only fresh fruits are suitable. But also frozen since last year. Many people do this. Part of the harvest is frozen so that it can be used later until a fresh one arrives.

And the last thing is sugar. It can be added both during cooking and after it. If you want a natural compote with sourness, then you don’t need to add sugar at all. In general, sugar is a matter of taste. Whatever sweetness the compote requires, add as much sugar. Therefore, in the recipes below there is no emphasis on sugar.

What do we make compote from? Here we can safely say - from everything. These are berries: cherries, raspberries, currants, strawberries, plums, thorns. Fruits such as pears and apples. This is what grows in everyone's garden. Well, exotic things from the market: quince, bananas, pomegranate, persimmon, cherry plum, apricot, peaches, etc.

Now, as for cooking. Soft compote ingredients are boiled for up to 10 minutes, hard ones from 10 to 20 minutes. After cooking, it is not only cooled for use, but also left for several hours so that the compote acquires a rich taste.

Here, in principle, are the main recommendations. Now let's move on to the recipes.

Menu

Apple compote

This is the most common and widespread version of compote. It is made from both fresh and frozen apples.

The compote is prepared at the rate of taking 500 g of apples per two liters of water. If the apples are unsweetened or frozen. You will need to add 200 g of sugar.

First wash the apples (if fresh), cut them in half and remove the core. In principle, you can leave the middle. Well, then whoever likes it. Either leave it in halves, or cut it into slices.

Now put a pan of water on the fire, bring to a boil and add the apples. Next, add sugar. But this option is for those with a sweet tooth. I usually cook until done and then taste. If the resulting taste is satisfactory, then I do not add sugar. If you feel that sugar is at least a little necessary, then we go to sleep.

After this, cook the compote over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Then remove from heat, let cool, then pour into jars and roll up (if for storage) or into bottles and into the refrigerator. Then we take it out for drinking.

Useful tips

1. Don't be afraid to combine different berries. Forest fruits harmonize perfectly with garden fruits, and the addition of seasonings and fruits improves the taste, making them more interesting.
2. Be sure to choose fresh and ripe berries. You should not take fruits with spots, rot, or those that have been damaged by insects.
3. When you sort out the berries, you should clean them from the brushes, stalks and leaves. At the final stage, rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
4. If the drink turns out very sweet, I recommend adding a little citric acid or juice. You can also add orange or lemon zest to the jar.
5. For spices, give preference to vanilla, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger. For herbs, I like to use thyme, mint, lavender and rose petals.
6. Do not overcook the berries, otherwise they will ruin the taste of the compote. Bring it to a boil and let it brew for 8–10 hours. Then the water will be enriched with aroma, taste and beneficial properties.
7. Many housewives do not know how much sugar to add to compote. It depends on the sweetness of the fruits you choose. Usually I add 100 to 150 g of sugar to 1 liter of water. A cranberry drink will require more sugar than a cherry drink.
8. Fill the pan with fruits about a third or a quarter, no more. If you want a richer taste, you can add more berries.
9. Experienced housewives first make sugar syrup in a saucepan, then boil the fruits in it for 5 minutes, and then let the drink brew. If you take blackberries and raspberries, then you don’t need to boil the drink, just pour boiling syrup over the berries. If you use frozen berries, you need to fill them with cold water, let them boil a little and then leave to infuse.
10. Quince, bananas, pomegranate and persimmon are completely unsuitable for brewing a summer drink.
11. The most successful fruits for making compote are apricots, pears, pitted peaches, plums, apples and any berries.
12. When using apples, be sure to core them. To improve the taste, you can add a handful of rowan to the apple drink. To remove bitterness, I recommend freezing the berries in the freezer for 24 hours. If you like spicy compotes, then combine apples with sweet pepper slices. Apples also go well with hawthorn, grapes, dogwood, rose hips and sea buckthorn.
13. To prepare grape compote, choose sweet and sour grape varieties, then the drink will not be cloying. You can improve the taste with other sour berries or fruits.
14. Gooseberries go well with orange. This drink turns out very tasty and aromatic.
15. Chop hard fruits as finely as possible, and chop soft fruits larger. Use the berries whole.
16. If you have prepared a concentrated compote, be sure to dilute it with water.
17. You can store a drink made from cherries, cherries, apricots and peaches for no more than 1 year, since harmful substances may begin to be released from the seeds. Seedless compote can be stored for 2-3 years.

How to cook pear compote

Another fruit loved by almost everyone. You can, of course, make compote only from pears, but the best combination is considered to be with apples.

If you decide to stop only at pears, then you will need:

• Water – 2 l.
• Pear – 500 g.
• Lemon – 1 pc.

Here we add sugar to taste. In this case, we start cooking the compote by preparing sugar syrup. When the water boils, add the amount of sugar you need.

Then pour the pears into the syrup, which continues to boil. Just like apples, they can be cut either in half or into slices.

Cook the compote for another 10 minutes. After the pan is removed from the heat, squeeze the juice from the lemon. Then we leave it to steep until it cools down, after which we pour it into jars and put it in the refrigerator.

Cherry compote

Perhaps the most delicious compote, which will always be in demand. And your children, having tried it once, will ask for it constantly.

To prepare this compote, you will need to take 300 g of berries and 4 tablespoons of sugar per liter of water. You will also need sugar here, since cherries have a sour taste. However, some people like this too.

Cherry pits are not removed. Boil water, add sugar. After it dissolves, pour in the washed cherries and cook for 10 minutes. After this time, remove the compote from the heat and leave to steep for several hours.

It will be very tasty if, before adding the cherries, add some chopped apples, cook for about five minutes, and only then add the cherries themselves.

Fruit and berry compote

Compote is made from any fruit and berries. The most commonly used are apples, peaches, plums, pears, strawberries, cherries, apricots, raspberries and others. Persimmon, pomegranate, banana and some others are considered unsuitable, but you can find original drink recipes using them.

Compote of fresh berries and fruits

This compote is most popular in summer and autumn, when local fresh fruits and berries appear in stores. The drink invigorates and restores strength. A few simple recipes will help you remember how to properly cook compote from fresh fruits and berries.

Apple compote

• Water – 2 liters, it is better to use filtered or bottled;
• apples – 500–600 grams;
• sugar - approximately ¾ cup, the amount depends on how sour the apple variety is.

Wash the apples, divide each into 4-8 parts, be sure to remove the core. Take water into a saucepan, boil it, add sugar, apples, and you can add cinnamon. Boil everything again and cook until the apples are soft for about 15 minutes. In this case, it is necessary to reduce the fire. Cover the finished drink with a lid and leave for 2-4 hours.

Cherry compote

• Water – 2 liters;
• cherry – 500 grams;
• sugar – 10 tablespoons;
• vanilla sugar - to taste.

Wash the cherries and remove the pits. Pour water into a saucepan, add vanilla and regular sugar, and boil. Place the berries in a saucepan, boil again and cook for 10 minutes, reducing the heat. Cover the resulting compote with a lid and leave to cool.

Compote of frozen berries and fruits

Before starting work, you need to pay attention to the preparation of berries and fruits. You cannot defrost them; berries and fruits will lose a lot of juice and turn into porridge. It is better to keep delicate ingredients at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse with cold water. The drink should be brewed over low heat.

Strawberry compote

• Water – 3.5 liters;
• strawberries – 500 grams;
• sugar – 150 grams.

Leave the berries on the table for 10 minutes, rinse. Boil syrup using sugar and water. Carefully place the strawberries in it, boil, and cook for no more than 2-3 minutes. You can add lemon juice and zest. The drink will acquire a pleasant citrus aroma and sourness. Leave the finished compote for 0.5–1 hour. The cooled drink can be strained if desired.

Fruit and berry compote

• Water – 2 glasses;
• frozen fruits and berries - 500 grams, for example, plums, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, raspberries;
• sugar – ¾ cup.

This recipe does not require cooking, so most of the vitamins contained in fruits and berries are preserved.

Wash the fruits and place them in cups. Boil the syrup. Additionally, you can add wine, liqueur or cognac to it, about 5 ml per serving. Cool the finished syrup and pour it over fruits and berries in cups.

Dried fruits compote

Dried fruits are healthy and tasty, and compote made from them is a real medicine for the human digestive system. In order to preserve the positive properties of the ingredients, you need to remember how to properly cook dried fruit compote.

Dried fruits usually include not only fruits, but also berries: dried apples, cherries, pears, dried apricots, raisins, prunes, rose hips and others. When choosing ingredients for compote, it is better to buy them separately rather than in a mixture. Since they have different cooking times, it is better to add them to the pan one at a time: first pears and apples, then dried apricots and prunes, and finally raisins.

Compote for children

• Water – 2.5 liters;
• dried fruits – 300–400 grams;
• sugar – 1 glass, but it’s healthier to take less.

Sort dried fruits, rinse, soak in warm water for 15 minutes. Pour water into a saucepan and boil. Add apples and pears, cook for 20 minutes, add the remaining dried fruits, cook for 5 minutes. Add sugar last, stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Cover the resulting compote and leave for 10–12 hours.

Compote for adults

• Water – 5 liters;
• dried fruits - 1 kilogram, for example, apples, prunes, pears, dried apricots and raisins;
• sugar – 4 cups;
• wine – 1 glass, semi-sweet red, can be replaced with the juice of 1 lemon;
• almonds - 4 tablespoons, sweet, finely chopped.

Wash dried fruits. Pour boiling water over apples and pears, add sugar and cook for 30 minutes. Add prunes and dried apricots, cook for 10 minutes. Lastly add raisins and wine and cook for 5 minutes.

Cool the drink. Place fruit in cups, pour syrup, sprinkle with almonds.

Compote of canned berries and fruits

As a rule, such compotes are brewed in summer and autumn, and consumed in winter and spring. The main condition for a quality drink is sterilization and tightness. Fruits and berries must be clean, without dents or rot.

Peach compote

• Water;
• peaches – ripe, preferably firm;
• sugar – 400 grams for every liter of water.

Wash the peaches and sterilize the jars. Place the fruit in the jars, tightly, but without pressing. It is better to use whole peaches with pits. If desired, you can cut the fruits, remove the seeds and place the halves. More fruit will fit, but they will be looser and may fall apart.

Pour as much water into the jars as will fit. Pour it into a saucepan, add the required amount of sugar, and boil the syrup. Carefully, so as not to scald yourself, pour boiling syrup over the peaches, cover them with lids, top with a towel or napkin and leave for 20 minutes. Pour the syrup back into the pan, boil and pour over the fruit a second time, drain again and pour over the third time, roll up the jars. Cover the resulting canned food with a warm blanket and leave to cool.

This compote is almost ready to eat. The hostess just has to open the jar, put the fruits and berries into cups and pour the syrup. To enhance the taste and aroma, you can pre-boil the syrup with sugar and lemon juice and then cool. You can add zest to hot liquid, and wine or liqueur to cold liquid. The original taste is obtained by mixing several types of canned fruits.

Compote of red and black currants

Red and black currants grow in our gardens. Both of them are used for jam and compotes. However, we know very well that red currants taste very sour, but black currants are sweet. Therefore, black currants are often used. Although red contains much more vitamins.

To prepare red currant compote, take:

• Water – 2 l.
• Red currants – 300 g.
• Sugar – 5 tbsp. l. This is the minimum, but determine the maximum according to taste.

Pour water into the pan and add sugar. Now put it on fire. When it boils, remove from heat and add currants. Let it sit for three hours.

This compote, as you can see, is very simple to prepare and practically does not cook.

As for blackcurrant compote, to prepare it we will take:

• Water – 2 l.
• Black currant – 400 g.
• Sugar – 200 g.

Wash the currants, then grind them in a blender. Pour water into a saucepan, add sugar and put on fire. As soon as the water boils and the sugar has dissolved, add the ground currants and cook for three minutes. After this, let the compote cool, then strain it and bottle it.

If you are using frozen berries. We cook the syrup in the same way, but we throw the whole berry into the water and do not grind it in a blender. The compote is boiled for 10 minutes, then cooled and poured into jars or bottles.

You can add a few slices of orange to the currants for taste.

Option with feijoa

Thanks to the unusual combination of fruits used, this drink has an amazing taste and light, pleasant aroma. In addition, it has a rich vitamin and mineral composition. This means it is equally useful for both the older and younger generations. To prepare this fresh fruit compote you will need:

• a dozen feijoa fruits;
• a couple of ripe apples;
• 200 grams of sugar;
• 2.5 liters of filtered water.

As in the previous case, you need to deal with the syrup first. Dissolve granulated sugar in a saucepan filled with boiling water. Carefully place the washed fruit slices into the resulting liquid and cook it all over low heat for no longer than ten minutes. The resulting drink is equally good both warm and cooled.

Plum compote

The plum berry is quite sweet, so don’t overdo it with sugar. Although, as they say, everyone loves in their own way.

To prepare the compote, take:

• Water - 2 l.
• Plum - 1 kg.
• Sugar - 200 g.

First of all, wash the plum and remove the pits.

Now pour water into the pan, add the plums and bring to a boil. After the water boils, cook for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and add sugar. After this, let the compote cool and you can drink it.

So, these were our garden fruit and berry compotes. But there are several other fruits and berries that make compotes no less tasty and healthy.

About the benefits of frozen berries and fruits

Frozen cherries

When frozen, cherries retain all their vitamins and elements. Cherries come in red, yellow, purple and blue colors.

The composition of cherries includes ascorbic acid, folic acid, vitamin A, B, C, E, PP, H, melatonin, and water in the berry up to 75%.

Athletes are recommended to use natural juice to reduce muscle inflammation and relieve after intense training.

Cherries are used for: vitamin deficiencies, radiculitis, neuroses, arthritis and the treatment of gout, since cherries normalize blood pressure, strengthen blood vessels and capillaries, lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol, and normalize blood clotting.

Darker fruits contain more nutrients than yellow ones, while yellow ones contain less fructose.

Calorie content per 100 grams of product is 46 kcal.

Cherries are contraindicated for those with high acidity, gastritis, diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases.

Frozen dogwood

Dogwood is a berry with oblong fruits, both pear-shaped and ball-shaped, and the color ranges from light red to dark burgundy.

Dogwood tastes sweet and sour and a little tart.

It is used to treat many diseases, as it contains many vitamins such as vitamin C, PP, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, glucose, fructose, essential oil, pectin, tannin, malic and nicotinic organic acid.

The calorie content of dogwood per 100 grams is 40 kcal.

Dogwood, like rose hips, strengthens blood vessels and prevents sclerosis. Normalizes blood pressure, improves appetite, has a good effect on the entire digestive system, it is also used as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent, it is not terrible for diabetics and is effective against dysentery and hemorrhoids.

Contraindicated for those with high acidity and should be used with caution by elderly people.

Dogwood is even useful for pregnant women as it strengthens the immune system and improves blood.

Frozen currants

In frozen currants, almost all taste qualities are preserved. The berries come in black, red and yellow colors and are round or oblong in shape.

Currants are useful both in medicine and in cosmetology. Currants are used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, colds, heart disease, liver and kidney disease, as well as skin diseases, vitamin deficiency, reduced immunity, tuberculosis and cancer, anemia.

The calorie content of currants per 100 grams of product is 44 kcal

Currants contain many vitamins: C, E, B5, PP, Bb, A, B1, B2 and B9 and contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, manganese.

Currants are contraindicated for people prone to allergies and thrombophlebitis, hepatitis, individual intolerance and pregnancy.

Apricot frozen

Apricot fruits are yellow or orange in color, round in shape, about 45-50 mm, the flesh is juicy and usually easily separated from the stone.

To preserve the nutritional value of this fruit, it is best to freeze it, since not all fruits retain their taste after freezing.

Apricot contains a large amount of vitamin C, E, PP and group B, iodine, dietary fiber, and vitamin A is an antioxidant that actively fights cancer cells, increases hemoglobin levels and many other useful substances.

The calorie content of apricot per 100 grams of product is 45 kcal.

Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance, or rather an allergic reaction, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and decreased thyroid function.
It is not recommended to overeat apricots as it may cause stomach and intestinal upset. Nutritional value of frozen berries and fruits

Apricot compote

The fruits themselves are very tasty, and the compote and, especially, the jam made from apricots are simply wonderful.

To prepare this compote you will need:

• Water – 1 l.
• Apricots – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 1.5 cups.

Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the pits (similar to preparing plums).

Place apricots in a saucepan, add sugar on top, then pour in water. Now put the pan on the fire. After the water just starts to boil, reduce the heat a little and cook in this way for about three minutes. Next, the compote is infused for about an hour. After this, it is ready to eat.

Combination of berries in compotes

In order to get a truly tasty compote, it is very important to choose the right combination of components. The best option is to complement the sweetness of one ingredient with the slight sourness of the second. Several time-tested combinations can be noted, namely raspberries + cherries, or gooseberries + currants (red or black, it makes no difference).

You can also prepare an assortment of fruits and berries, combining sweet apples and cranberries in a compote. Picking wild berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, blueberries, also looks great in drinks.

Tip: for more richness, add freshly squeezed juice or simply mash currants, yoshta, cranberries, and viburnum. Berries with a thin shell do not need to be boiled; just bring to a boil and turn off immediately. You definitely don’t need a pressure cooker for compote.

Raspberries and strawberries, complemented by exotic notes of peach, will be an interesting combination in a drink. You can prepare any of these compotes either for every day in a saucepan or preserve them for the winter. If desired, you can stock up on prepared fresh mixture by quickly dry freezing it. This will allow you to enjoy aromatic drinks in winter, as if from just picked berries. All vitamins will remain where they are needed, and you will be able to make healthy drinks for yourself and your children. The videos on our website will help you determine which combinations are the most successful.

Peach compote

Also a product loved by many. As soon as inexpensive peaches appear in stores, we rush to buy them. And at the market or in the same store, the poor standard for compotes is quickly sorted out.

For this compote, let's take

• Water – 3 l.
• Peaches – 1 kg.
• Sugar – 200 g.

Peaches are washed and cut into slices. You can cook them whole if they are small. Pour water into a saucepan, add sugar and put on fire. As soon as the water boils, add the peaches. Cook for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes. After this, pour into jars and set aside to cool.

These are the basic, so to speak, standard compotes. You can mix various ingredients together in three or even four or five components. The taste can be quite unexpected. And finally, dried fruit compote, which can be purchased at any market.

Option with apples

This simple and tasty fresh fruit compote can be cooked not only in summer, but also in winter. It will be an excellent alternative to packaged juices or boring tea. To prepare it you will need:

• 600 grams of apples;
• a couple of liters of drinking water;
• 200 grams of sugar.

Add washed and chopped apples to a pan of boiling water. The required amount of sugar is also added there. All this is kept on low heat for a quarter of an hour. As a rule, this time is enough for the fruit to become soft. The finished drink is removed from the burner and infused under the lid for at least four hours.

Dried fruits compote

What’s good about this compote is that you can cook it at any time, all you need to do is have dried fruits on hand or have a nearby market where you can buy them.

Another good thing about this compote is that you don’t have to add any sugar at all. For hot periods it will be even better.

What you need here:

• Water - 3 l
• Prunes - 200 g.
• Dried apricots - 200 g.
• Raisins - 100 g.
• Apple – 100 g.

If you decide to add sugar, then you will need 2 tbsp for this amount. spoons. Wash and sort all purchased ingredients. If you don’t have dry apples, you can replace them with a couple of fresh ones. But then they need to be washed, cut, cored and cut into slices.

Pour water into a saucepan and set to boil. As soon as the water boils, add the apple and prunes for 15 minutes. After this, add all the other dried fruits and cook for another 5 minutes. At the end of cooking, leave it to cool and infuse, after which you can drink it.