How to cook dried fruit compote: 12 recipes

For older people, dried fruit compote reminds of a carefree childhood and cheerful school changes, when everyone in a hurry rushed to the dining room to eat. After a hearty dinner in the Soviet era, they always gave a glass of a delicious drink. In those days, schoolboy compote served as a sort of bargaining chip, since the price of all the disputes and betting was a portion of the drink.

The loyal love for a decoction of dried berries and fruits is still perplexing for many foreigners. They cannot understand why in Russia and the CIS countries they first remove water from fruits by drying, and then these same garden gifts are boiled with sugar. It is worth noting that dried fruits were invented in the East, but these sweets were very popular in the former post-Soviet republics.

Compote of dried fruits perfectly quenches thirst and warms in the winter cold. It is included in various diets, adults and kids are happy to drink it. Any carbonated drink loses in comparison with compote. There are so many recipes for compote that even connoisseurs of culinary traditions can be confused by such an abundance of options. But before you start studying them, it is worth considering in detail the useful properties of this popular drink.

What is the use of dried fruit compote

Compote of dried fruits in all respects is a universal product. In addition, it has practically no restrictions for use. Therefore, mothers prepare it for infants up to a year, pregnant women are also allowed to feed vitamin broth. Even diabetics include compote of dried berries and fruits in the diet, but without the addition of sugar. The calorie content of even a very saturated broth is about 70 units, so overweight people are willing to supplement their diet for weight loss.

But the main secret of the drink lies in its composition. The fact is that in the process of natural drying of fruits and berries, all vitamins and mineral elements are preserved. Therefore, compote is able to replenish the supply of useful substances during the period of seasonal vitamin deficiency. Of course, a lot depends on the type of dried fruit, since the composition of fresh fruits of different species differs in content.

Compote made from high-quality dried fruits has the following beneficial effects on the body:

1. Almost all the gifts of orchards and overseas fruits are rich in the content of ascorbic acid, which provides the body's resistance to infectious agents.
2. The presence of fiber improves digestion, which is especially successful prunes and dried apricots.
3. Pears with apples reduce intracranial pressure.
4. Bactericidal properties favorably affect the state of the urinary system.
5. Blueberries contain components that improve vision.
6. As part of raisins, a whole complex of elements that strengthen the heart muscle.
7. Almost all dried fruits have a positive effect on blood circulation.
8. Due to the iron content, the products of this group increase hemoglobin.

You can also add that a drunk glass of compote almost immediately improves mood. Therefore, such a drink can be used as a remedy for depression. Dried bananas and figs are especially distinguished by their ability to enhance the emotional background.

We must not forget about the purely gastronomic component of the fruit broth. In the traditions of Slavic cuisine for centuries there is a rule after each meal to drink juice, tea or any other drink.Compote for this mission is better than other options, because it is the safest.

Important: Before preparing the broth, you need to very carefully process the dried fruit, because all the dirt and dust, if they are not removed, will then settle at the bottom of the pan. Even repeated filtering of the liquid will not completely remove dangerous impurities.

What dried fruits can I compote

In principle, any berries and fruits retain useful qualities if they are properly dried. Most often, compote is prepared from the following dried fruits:

1. Dried apricots - helps get rid of edema and anemia.
2. Prunes - improves the digestive system and is indispensable for low hemoglobin.
3. Apples and pears are good for the kidneys and liver.
4. Raisins - rich in magnesium, which is necessary for the normal state of the nervous system and heart.
5. Figs - beneficially affects the pancreas and respiratory system.
6. Cherry - activates mental activity.

Exotic fruits are popular: bananas, dates, pineapple.

The basis for a tasty and healthy compote today can be purchased at any store. Many rational summer residents make such preparations on their own.

Helpful advice: the drink will be saturated in taste and content if it is prepared from several types of dried fruits. And each time, changing the composition of the components, you can get compote with a different taste and a set of useful elements.

How to choose good dried fruits

Only at first glance it may seem that the choice of dried fruits is a trifle. In fact, this is a very complex, almost jewelry process. It is no accident that experts in this area advise when choosing a quality product to remember the ancient wisdom that not all gold shines brightly. Translating this phrase into a language that is understandable to the buyer, you can see that dried fruits with a beautiful glossy gloss should be avoided. In fact, each type of such product has its own selection criteria, which are very difficult to keep in mind at the same time. Therefore, we dwell on the general rules of choice:

1. It is better to purchase ready-made mixes of dried fruits at farmers markets. Such products are less subject to chemical treatments.
2. If each ingredient is bought separately, you need to evaluate its appearance. Dried fruits should be flexible, without dark spots and white plaque.
3. When buying pre-packaged products, you need to study information on the release date, expiration dates, and the manufacturer. Special attention should be paid to the presence of additional substances. Any type of dried fruit is a natural product in which there simply cannot be extraneous components: dyes, preservatives or sweeteners.
4. As a rule, fruit mixtures are sold in transparent packaging, so the presence of dirt and sand is easy to notice.
5. According to current GOST standards, mixtures consist of sliced ​​pears and apples. Raisins with dried apricots and prunes are sold in whole.
6. Unfortunately, today, dried fruits that have gone through a multi-stage process of chemical processing are more often found on sale. Such products look perfect, but their health benefits are few. On the contrary, compote made from fruit treated with chemicals can provoke allergies or cause poisoning.

We must always remember that after drying, all, without exception, berries and fruits lose their appearance and luster. Therefore, it is better to go past the bright orange dried apricots, golden figs and amber raisins. Quality dried fruit wrinkled, with a dull gray surface. But if you could not resist the shine and bright shades, such products must be soaked for several hours, then drain the water and rinse well. Dried fruit is not recommended to be boiled in hot water, because this type of processing will lead to the loss of most of the vitamins.

How to cook dried fruit compote: recipes

There are a lot of ways to prepare a fruit drink, so you can choose several suitable options from a whole collection of recipes without problems.But before proceeding with the practical implementation of the task, it is necessary to understand what this third dish is. Regardless of the characteristics of individual recipes, there are two main ways to make compote.

1. The first option or a lengthy method. Prepared dried fruits are placed in boiling water, after which the mixture is boiled for another half hour. A drink prepared according to this scheme is obtained with a rich taste and color, since for a long cooking time, dried fruits give liquids most of the nutrients and sweetness. This compote is very useful for baby food.
2. A quick way is to add the fruit component to cold water at the very start of the cooking process. Then the composition is only brought to a boil and immediately removed from the heat. After the drink is infused for several hours. This method has a significant advantage compared to the first option: dried fruits do not boil, and therefore retain more valuable components. True, such a compote for young children should not be given.
3. As for the optimal serving of sugar. This product generally causes controversy between different specialists. Some believe that sugar should be completely excluded from the menu, while others allow its presence in reasonable quantities. Therefore, in this matter it is best to be guided by personal taste preferences. But as an alternative to sugar, honey can be used as a natural sweetener. It should be added to a slightly cooled drink.

Note: when determining the dose of sugar, we must not forget that the dried fruits themselves are high in fructose. Also, to give the drink a pleasant acidity, you can add a little lemon juice: 2 tbsp. on 2 liters of liquid base. In addition to lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger are often added to dried fruit compote.

Now, as an example, we give several options for preparing a drink that proactive housewives will be able to apply in everyday practice of preparing tasty and wholesome food.

Classic recipe

Ideally, to make a drink according to this recipe, it is better to have homemade fruit preserves. But in the absence of those, you can buy components from the list below in the store:

• dried apricots - 50 g;
• apples - 200 g;
• pears - 70 g;
• prunes - 150 g;
• sugar to taste;
• citric acid (or juice) - 2 g.

All standards are given for 3 liters of liquid base.

How to cook:

1. First, sort and rinse the dried fruits. With severe contamination, they should be soaked for some time in warm water, then rinsed again.
2. Put in a pot of water on the stove. When the liquid boils, send all the fruit ingredients at the same time.
3. Boil the drink for another half hour over low heat.
4. At the end of cooking, add citric acid and sugar.

Classic Sugar Free

Also a very useful recipe, especially for those who are forced to limit their sugar intake. But thanks to the combination of sweet types of dried fruits, the lack of this product in the drink will not be felt. The following fruit set is required for a three liter pot:

• quince - 200 g;
• bananas - 200 g;
• dried apricots - 200 g.

All of the listed fruit components are used in this case in dried form.

Step-by-step cooking process:

1. First of all, pour dried apricots with boiling water and keep it in this state for about 20 minutes.
2. At this time, put the dishes with water on the fire, while it boils, prepare the remaining fruits.
3. Then put all the ingredients in boiling water. Simmer for a third of an hour.
4. When the dried fruits swell and become soft, remove the prepared compote from the plate. The taste of the drink prepared according to this recipe will become more saturated when it completely cools.

For a child

Vitamin drinks should be given to babies from the age of three months. Of course, all mothers try to use fresh fruit of excellent quality. But when such products are not at hand, you can use dried fruits. This option is especially relevant in the winter season. For young children, compote should be cooked from only one type of fruit; mixtures cannot be used at an early age.If this is the first lure, it is best to start with dried apples.

Preparation process:

1. Soak the fruit in warm water. Then rinse thoroughly.
2. Boil for at least 30 minutes, but you can simply pour the base with boiling water in a thermos, and then infuse the drink for two hours. Sugar is not added to compote for babies.

The first portion should be minimal - 1-2 tbsp. If the child transfers the new product normally, the amount can be gradually increased. Kids up to a year should not cook saturated compote, so to make a drink you will need only a few slices of dried apple. If the drink is concentrated, it should be diluted with boiled water.

With pumpkin and dried fruits

This option is perfect for the diet of preschool children. At first glance, the composition of the drink may seem unusual due to the presence of pumpkins. But it is this product that gives the compote a pleasant mild taste.

Product Set:

• a mixture of any dried fruit varieties - 200 g;
• dried rosehip - 50 g;
• pumpkin - 1 fruit;
• sugar to taste;
• cinnamon is a stick.

Portions of all components are given in 1.5 liters of water.

Cooking method:

1. As in previous formulations, first soak dried fruits for several minutes in hot water, then rinse well.
2. Pumpkin requires special attention: first peel it, remove the seeds from it, and then cut the flesh into cubes.
3. Then put the pot of water on the fire. When the liquid boils, pour the rosehip and cook it for a quarter of an hour.
4. After that, you can add pumpkin, other dried fruits and cinnamon.
5. Cook the compote until ready for another 20 minutes. When the dried fruit swells, add sugar to taste and keep the compote on fire for another 5 minutes.

The drink is unusually aromatic and tasty. Therefore, caring housewives should spend a little time on its preparation. Households will be delighted with such a supplement to the diet.

In a slow cooker

Thanks to the advent of smart appliances, housewives now have the opportunity to save time on cooking. Traditional compote can also be prepared not in a conventional pan on the stove, but in a slow cooker, which will greatly simplify the whole process. You must select the option “Soup” or “Stew”.

You will need a set of the following ingredients:

• prunes and cherries (seedless) - 50 g each;
• dried apricots - 70 g;
• dried apples - 100 g;
• pears - 70 g;
• sugar - as needed.

Step-by-step cooking process:

1. First process and rinse all dried fruits.
2. If frozen cherries are used, remove the berries from the freezer in advance to melt them. Then be sure to remove all the bones.
3. Pour water into the appliance bowl and in the “Baking” mode bring it to a boil.
4. Then put all the fruits except for the cherry.
5. After boiling the composition again, switch the multicooker to the "Extinguishing" mode. Cook the compote for about half an hour.
6. After this time add sugar and cherry along with syrup.
7. Mix the drink well, boil for another 15 minutes.
8. Then transfer the device to heating. In this state, keep the drink for an hour.
9. When the compote has cooled, it can be served with baked goods.

Refreshing drink

And this recipe is perfect for the hot season. Using a slow cooker, the time required to prepare a refreshing drink is minimized.

Components required for compote:

• any fruit mix - 800 g;
• water - poured into the bowl to the maximum mark;
• sugar - 100 g;
• ice cubes.

Stages of preparation:

1. First, put the prepared dried fruits into the container.
2. Then add sugar. Pour the base with the required volume of water.
3. Prepare a vitamin decoction in the "Drinks" mode for exactly an hour at a pressure of - 3.
4. When a beep sounds, relieve pressure.
5. Give the drink a little brew.
6. Pour compote into glasses along with berries and fruit slices.
7. Before serving, add a couple of ice cubes to each glass.

Note: as an option, you can separate the fruits and serve them as a dessert.

Compote of dried figs and fresh apples

This recipe can rightfully be considered the best example of the perfect combination of dried fruits and fresh fruits. Since apples are available all year round today, this cooking option can help the hostess at any time. Dried figs are rich in nutrients, and its amazing taste in combination with cinnamon will give the drink a noble touch. Instead of sugar, honey is used, so the body will benefit twice from such a drink.

Ingredients:

• apples - 300 g;
• figs - 150 g;
• lemon - 10 g;
• cinnamon;
• honey to taste;
• lemon juice.

How to cook:

1. Sweet and sour apples are more suitable for this recipe. Cut each fruit in half, remove the core.
2. Put the fruits in a saucepan, pour water (3-4 l).
3. Washed figs immediately add to apples.
4. On high heat, bring the composition to a boil, and then reduce the flame to a minimum.
5. With the lid closed, brew the drink for 45 minutes. The longer the compote is cooked, the richer will be the taste of the final product.
6. At the end of cooking, add cinnamon, then remove the pan from the stove.
7. Strain the compote, and when it cools, add honey and lemon juice.
8. Pour the cooled compote into a jug, and place a few circles of fresh lemon on top. In hot weather, you can chill the drink in the refrigerator.

Honey compote with dried fruits

Honey always wins compared to sugar. Moreover, the benefits of this beekeeping product can be traced in all directions: taste and degree of usefulness. After all, a honey drink is considered the best prophylactic for colds and viral infections.

To prepare it, you need to take the following ingredients:

• apples - 230 g;
• raisins (seedless) - 50 g;
• prunes - 60 g;
• cherry - 180 g;
• pear - 120 g;
• honey - 150 g.

All of these proportions are designed for 2.5 liters of water.

When all the products are ready, you can start cooking compote:

1. To begin with, remove dried fruits from debris, soak for an hour in water.
2. Put water on fire when it boils, send apples and pears there.
3. After half an hour, pour the prunes and boil the compote for another 10 minutes.
4. The next cherry in line, after another 5 minutes, send the last ingredient - raisins to the boiling composition.
5. In full force to simmer the drink on low heat for 10 minutes.
6. Add honey to the finished hot drink.
7. Let it brew before use. To do this, wrap the container with a blanket and leave for 10 hours.
8. Before use, strain the broth, although this is not necessary.

Danish drink

Although this option does not quite correspond to the definition of “compote”, adult lovers of fruit cocktails will definitely like it. The Danes came up with it, hence the geographical name.

In the list of necessary ingredients:

• dried apricots, but you can take golden raisins - 250 g;
• cinnamon - 1 stick;
• brandy - 0.5 l;
• sugar - 100 g;
• water is a glass.

The method of preparation of low alcohol compote:

1. Pour sugar into a container of suitable volume, add cinnamon, and then pour the indicated amount of water.
2. Put the dishes on moderate fire, when the water begins to boil, add dried apricots. Boil the resulting composition for another 10 minutes.
3. Ready compote with boiled dried apricots (raisins) pour into a glass container. When the drink has cooled, close the jar with a tight lid, and then determine in the refrigerator for two days.
4. Then add brandy to the compote. Drink with dried apricots should be infused exactly 6 weeks. During this time, two different liquid fractions will combine, and as a result, a light drink with an original fruity taste will be obtained.
5. This compote can be served with desserts or drunk to quench your thirst.

Original raisin recipe

Although raisins are present in many recipes for making a drink, this option has some specific features, due to which compote is obtained with a rich and slightly sweet taste.

The main ingredients:

• dried fruits: apples, prunes and pears - 100 g each;
• raisins - a pinch;
• Uryuk - 70 g.

Cooking sequence:

1. To direct the culinary process in a rational direction, immediately fill the pan with water (3 l) and put it on the stove.
2. While the liquid base will reach a boil, start preparing dried fruits: thoroughly clean all components from debris and dust, and also remove damaged fragments.
3. When the water boils, be the first to cook apples with pears and apricot. Boil them for a quarter of an hour in boiling water.
4. Then pour raisins and prunes into the pan. Keep the compote on the stove for another 15 minutes.
5. In order for the drink to acquire a rich taste and shade, let it stand at room temperature until completely cooled.
6. The fruit broth obtained according to this recipe is better to drink chilled.

On a note: If the family has a sweet tooth that does not like the lack of sugar, you can add a small portion of this component to the finished drink.

A quick way to make compote

This is one of the monorecept options, because in this case the only dried fruit variety, prunes, is taken as the basic product of preparation. It will take 800 g of dried fruit of excellent quality. They need to be sorted out, washed with warm water, put in a pan.

Further actions:

1. Boil 2 liters of water in a regular kettle. Pour boiling water over the fruit.
2. Give the resulting composition to infuse for a day.
3. Drain the finished infusion, and put the prunes on the sockets, sprinkle sugar on top.
4. The result is a full-fledged vitamin meal of two dishes: a fruit dessert and a delicious drink.

This recipe is especially useful for people with weakened immune systems. After all, prunes are the leader in the content of vitamins and vital minerals.

Compote with spices

This recipe is very popular, which is not surprising. Having spent a little more time than compote compilation according to the classic recipe requires, the patient hostess will receive both a sweet fruit dessert and a vitamin drink.

The list of ingredients:

• a mixture of dried fruits (any combination) - 250 g;
• raisins - 60 g;
• sugar - 40-50 g;
• 2 cinnamon and bay leaf

The algorithm of culinary actions:

1. After the initial processing, finely chop all the fruits.
2. Boil 2 l of water in a saucepan and at the same time send all dried fruits to the simmering liquid. Add laurel leaves and cinnamon.
3. In full, cook the compote for 10 minutes over moderate heat.
4. Send raisins last, and then give the drink another 5 minutes to reach readiness.
5. Without removing the broth from the fire, use the slotted spoon to extract the fruits, put them on a plate.
6. Boil the compote for another 5 minutes, and before removing from the stove add the required amount of sugar.
7. When the drink has cooled, serve with fruit sprinkled with powdered sugar.

There are a huge number of ancient modern recipes for making a drink from dried fruits. Each option has its own characteristics, so compote is considered a unique drink.

I would like to complete the review of popular recipes for making dried fruit compote with a few useful tips:

1. The darkened edges of apples and pears, which often happens when drying in the oven, should be cut before making compote.
2. Even slightly spoiled dried fruits should not be used, it is better to throw them away.
3. In cloudy weather or in winter, when there is no desire to drink soft drinks, you can prepare concentrated compote, and dilute it with boiling water before use.

Compote is a very healthy and tasty drink.According to any of the recipes recommended here, it can be prepared quickly and effortlessly. Moreover, in addition to the drink itself, it is pleasant to eat soft dried fruits. Such a delicacy is loved not only by children, but also by many adults. Each time, changing the composition, you can cook compote with a new, unique taste.

Photo of dried fruit compotes