Cherry Compote | Michaela Cooks

After more technical issues than I’d care to admit, I’m finally back with another recipe and this one was definitely worth the wait! I’ll maybe get used to the technical stuff behind blogging in the near future, until then, enjoy the recipe :).

I love all things sweet (hell, I love all things savoury too!) and this compote is no exception. Sweetened with dates rather than added sugar, I feel a little better adding it to things for that delicious cherry kick. Don’t get me wrong, I do eat foods with sugar in them and I am pretty partial to a big slice of cake more often than I probably should, but I’m also not ignorant to the effects sugar has on the body. As a result, I am trying to cut down on the added sugar in my life. Sweetening foods with fruit allows me to add the sweetness that I want whilst still adding other benefits, such as dietary fiber, potassium and antioxidants. Now that I’ve convinced you (and myself) that this is a healthy recipe, let’s get right to it so you can begin topping everything you eat with it!

Yields: Approx. 285g of compote. I filled an old 285g jar that I had saved and sterilised.

Ingredients

4 cups of halved, pitted cherries (I used two of the 425g punnets of cherries to yield approx. 4 cups)
125ml (or half a cup) of water
3 large pitted dates
Juice and zest of half of a lemon
1 tbsp cornstarch

Method

1. Roughly chop your dates into quarters and place in a small bowl or glass. Pour 2 tbsp of hot water over the dates and let soak for 15 minutes.

2. In a separate small bowl or glass, dissolve the cornstarch in 2-3 tbsp of water. Add the lemon juice and zest to the cornstarch paste. Set aside for later.

3. Throw the cherries and remaining water into a pot and bring to a boil. Stir until the mixture has reduced slightly, before bringing it down to a simmer.

4. Blitz the dates and water mixture in a food processor to form a thick paste, add this to the cherries and mix well.

5. Add the lemon cornstarch mixture to the cherries, stirring until fully combined. Cook until the compote thickens. A couple of minutes was fine for the consistency that I like, but if you prefer a thicker, more jam-like consistency, then carry on cooking for nearer 5-7 minutes.

6. Whilst still hot, pour into a sterilised jar. When cooled, store in the refrigerator for up to a week. I also like to freeze the compote in an ice cube tray for up to a month. This allows me to easily split the compote into portions, even when frozen. To defrost, leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Best served warm over oatmeal or cheesecake. See my Overnight Oats recipe to see how you can transform your standard oatmeal breakfast into a delicious, healthy breakfast dessert.

Question time: How do you feel about added sugar? Do you take note of it? 

Take care,