Plum Compote

The shift from summer to fall has always been the hardest for me, more so than any other change in season during the year.  I hate to say goodbye to those long sun-filled summer days, yet the sun is already starting to set much earlier and the evenings cooling off more quickly than they did even a few short weeks ago. Luckily I still have plums.

In season from summer through early fall, plums ease us gently into the new season with their sweet/tart taste and multitude of colors.  They’re a taste of summer that lingers into fall which makes them perfect for turning into a fall-inspired plum compote.

What is Compote?

While compote originally meant a dessert of fruit (usually whole or halved) cooked in sugar syrup, it’s over time come to mean a chunky fruit sauce that’s briefly cooked on the stove.  Not as sweet as jam and not as runny as syrup, but arguably more useful than both, it’s definitely a good thing to have a jar of in your fridge.

In general, compote requires nothing but fruit, sweetener and a little liquid to cook it in but tossing a few spices in adds more interesting flavor. I’ve added fall favorites like apples, maple and cinnamon to my plum compote to impart a warm and cozy flavor that’s perfect for this time of year.  The apples are peeled and sliced into bite sized pieces while the plums are left with their skins on which imparts a lovely rosy hue to the compote.  Of course if you’d prefer to make an all plum compote you can do so as well.

Ingredient Notes:

(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.  As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

• Plums – You can use plums or pluots preferably red or black in color but any variety will work.
• Apples – Use any apple you’d normally use for baking or making applesauce or omit the apples and use all plums instead if you’d prefer.
• Maple Syrup – I’ve used maple syrup to sweeten the compote but you can also use honey for a non-vegan version if you’d like.
• Cinnamon – Simmering the compote along with a cinnamon stick gives it a nice hint of spice that’s great for fall but you could just as easily use vanilla extract.
• Lemon Juice – A bit of fresh lemon juice brightens the sauces.

How to Make Plum Compote:

Making compote is easy! You simply toss everything into a pot, simmer stirring occasionally, and about 10-15 minutes later your compote will be ready to serve. 

Start by placing the plums, apples, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan and bringing the mixture to a simmer.

Lower the heat, cover and cook the mixture for 10 minutes.  Uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruit is tender and the mixture is syrupy.  I like my compote chunky so I stir gently to avoid breaking up the fruit as it cooks but if you’d prefer a more pureed consistency then use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash the fruit a bit as it cooks.

At this point your compote is done and ready to serve. You can serve the compote warm or chilled.  Store in the fridge until you are ready to use.

How to Use Compote:

Speaking of serving, here are a few ideas for serving your plum compote, but I’m sure you’ll find lots of other ways to enjoy it as well.

• Over ice cream
• On pancakes
• Over waffles
• Swirled into yogurt
• On toast.
• With muffins

More Plum Recipes:

• Oven Roasted Plum Jam
• Plum Gratin
• Tapioca Pudding with Roasted Plums