Pear Compote with Fresh Ginger

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is a simple 6-ingredient recipe. If you’ve never made compote before, it is super easy. All you have to do is throw everything in a pot and simmer it.

There is no refined sugar, so this is a healthier version compote. To sweeten it, I use maple syrup rather than granulated sugar or brown sugar. What I like about doing this is that the compote has just the right amount of sweetness.

There are so many ways to serve compote. From breakfast to dessert, you can pair it with yogurt, oatmeal, waffles or pancakes.

What is Compote?

Whole fruit or chunks simmer and cook in a pot on the stove in a mixture of sugar syrup and spices. There is no thickener such as pectin that’s needed in compote. The result is a more loose and spoonable spread than traditional jam. Typically the fruit in jam is mashed and crushed, so you can’t see the shape of the fruit. Compote has pieces of fruit in it.

Best Types of Fruit for Compote

There are a lot of options when it comes to the best fruit for compote. You can use berries, stone fruit and more including:

• Apples
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Peaches
• Plums
• Cherries

Since blackberries and raspberries have tiny seeds, compotes using these fruits will have more texture and some crunch. You can use a combination of fruits instead of only 1 or 2.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Pears: The best kinds of pears for jams and compotes are Bosc, Anjou, Bartlett and Comice. To check if pears are ripe, press on the neck of the fruit. It should give a little, but not be completely soft.
• Apples: I add an apple to the compote to layer in more flavor. My preferences are Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji apples.
• Ginger: Use a vegetable peeler or even a spoon to peel off the skin from the fresh ginger. Then you can grate it with a microplane or finely chop it with a sharp knife.
• Cinnamon: I like to add ground cinnamon, but you could use a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, ground cloves and nutmeg
• Lemon juice doesn’t make the compote overly citrusy. It just adds a bright, fresh taste that is pretty subtle.
• Maple syrup: Rather than using sugar, I sweeten the compote with maple syrup. If you don’t mind of it isn’t vegan, you can substitute with honey.

Can You Turn This into Apple Compote?

Yes! The pears and apples are interchangeable in compote. You can use all of one or the other or makes it a 50-50 split.

How To Make this Pear Compote Recipe

1. Combine the ripe pears, apples, ginger, cinnamon, lemon juice, maple syrup and water in a large saucepan.

2. Stir everything together.

3. Over medium heat, bring the fruit to a simmer. Cook the compote until the fruit softens. This will take about 15-20 minutes.

4. You can mash the pears with the back of a wooden spoon. It is up to you how chunky you want to leave the fruit.

What To Serve with Compote

Think of this spiced compote like a sweet topping or dollop. It is great for breakfast, brunch and healthy snacks:

• Swirl it into Greek yogurt
• Spread it on a slice of toast
• Spoon it onto waffles or pancakes
• Add a scoop in a bowl of oatmeal
• Top a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream

Leftovers, Storing & Freezing

Wait until the compote cools to room temperature before you transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Or you can freeze it up to 1 month.