Name: Red Wine Spiced Dried Fruit Compote
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 350 ml dry red wine; 100 ml water; 60 ml honey; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 orange peel; 100 g dried figs; 100 g dried apricots; 50 g dried sweet cherries; 50 g golden raisins

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Mixing spoon

or Heatproof spatula

Slotted spoon*

or Fork

* optional

Ingredients

4 servings

Liquid Base

350 ml dry red wine
100 ml water
60 ml honey

Aromatics

1 cinnamon stick
2 orange peel, wide strips

Dried Fruit

100 g dried figs, stemmed and halved
100 g dried apricots
50 g dried sweet cherries
50 g golden raisins

Nutrition (per serving)

327

Calories

Protein

68g

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

55g

Sugar

15mg

Sodium

Method

Measure and prepare all ingredients, ensuring the dried figs are properly stemmed and halved.

Combine the dry red wine, water, honey, cinnamon stick, and orange peels in the medium saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a rolling boil at approximately 100°C/212°F.

Look for: Large, continuous bubbles breaking the surface

Stir the dried figs, dried apricots, dried sweet cherries, and golden raisins into the boiling liquid using the mixing spoon.

Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the fruit to absorb the liquid and the wine to reduce.

20mLook for: Fruit is plump and hydrated, liquid is thick and syrupyFeel: Fruit yields softly when pressed with a spoon

Remove the saucepan from the heat, extract the cinnamon stick and orange peels, and allow the compote to cool to room temperature, around 20°C/68°F, before serving.

Chef's Notes

Choose a dry red wine with inherently fruity or lightly spiced notes, such as a Merlot or Syrah, to complement the natural sugars in the dried fruit without making the final dish cloying.
For the best texture, ensure your dried fruit is pliable before cooking. Very hard, older dried fruit will absorb liquid more slowly and may require an extra 10 minutes of simmering.
To elevate the presentation for brunch or dessert, serve this compote slightly warmed over mascarpone cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or a scoop of rich vanilla bean ice cream.
The compote will thicken significantly as it cools due to the natural pectins. If it becomes too stiff after refrigeration, stir in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen the syrup.