Dried fruit compote - how to cook and what proportions to choose?

Compote made from a mixture of dried fruits has a unique taste and quenches thirst very well. I cook it all year round because it is tasty and healthy.

How to make compote from dried fruits? Everything is very easy and simple.

To prepare compote from a mixture of dried fruits we will need:

400 grams of dried fruit mixture or to taste,
4 liters of water,
150 grams of sugar or to taste.

Recipe for making compote from a mixture of dried fruits.

To prepare this magnificent drink, I use a mixture of dried fruits, popularly called “compote”. It usually consists of dried apples and pears, apricots, and prunes. There may also be raisins, dried cherries and other berries and fruits that can be dried.

The compote mixture has a rather unpresentable appearance, which does not in any way affect the taste of the final product. But, unfortunately, the fruits may be moldy or rotten. Therefore, dried fruits need to be sorted, removing everything that has been spoiled.

This scary-looking mixture makes a very tasty compote.

I measure out the required amount of dried fruits and rinse them under running water. It’s generally not scary if you take a little more dried fruit. If the compote is too concentrated, it can be diluted with boiled water. We love a light, not rich drink, so I don’t put a lot of berries and sugar in it.

Then I pour cool water over the compote mixture and leave it for about an hour. During this time, all the dirt will become wet and easily washed off from the dried fruits. Therefore, after an hour, I rinse the dried fruits well again under running water.

Soak dried fruits in water

Now you can add sugar, stir it, bring the compote to a boil again and remove from heat.

Next, I cover the pan with a lid and leave the compote in this form until it cools down. I usually cook the compote in the evening and let it brew at room temperature overnight. Then I put it in the refrigerator.

I like chilled compote made from a mixture of dried fruits. It has some special taste compared to just cooled compote.

So, pour the chilled compote into glasses and serve as a soft drink.

How and how much to cook dried fruit compote - step-by-step recipe with photos

A wonderful drink with a long history of existence is dried fruit compote. It is good regardless of the season and is always appropriate on the table. It is pleasant to drink both hot and chilled. Compote of dried berries and fruits perfectly quenches thirst. At the same time, it contains a large amount of vitamins. It is not surprising that such a drink is often prepared for children in schools, nurseries, kindergartens, as well as sanatoriums and hospitals. Classic dried fruit compote is a storehouse of vitamins. It is useful for both children and adults.

How long to cook dried fruit compote: 1 hour Number of servings: 5

Other possible preparation and filling options

Compotes will be an excellent addition to your winter diet for you and your family, so I recommend paying attention to recipes such as apple compote and rich and very aromatic apricot compote. If you want a more piquant taste, then be sure to cook pear compote for the winter, or use your summer preparations and cook prune compote.

I wonder how you cook compote from dried fruits and what combination of dried fruits you prefer.

How to cook a delicious compote of dried fruits and raisins, a simple step-by-step recipe with photos:

1. First you need to prepare all the ingredients. Raisins and dried fruits should be thoroughly washed in several waters.

On a note! If some components are too dry, they should be soaked in water for a quarter of an hour.

3. Add sugar to the mixture and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then the container is removed from the stove and covered tightly with a lid. You need to infuse the mixture for another hour, this will allow the drink to acquire a more expressive taste and refined aroma.

4. All that remains is to pour the compote into glasses and enjoy its amazing taste.

Dried fruit compote in a slow cooker

Ingredients: dried apples – 200 grams; dried apricots, prunes, raisins – 100 grams each; sugar – 400 grams.

Well, let's get cooking:

Pour boiling water over the dried fruits and let them sit for a couple of minutes.

Then rinse them in cool water.

Next, transfer the dried fruits into a multi-cooker bowl, add sugar and pour in water.

Now set the “quenching” mode to start, as soon as the beep sounds, the compote will need to be poured, cooled and treated to your household!

Beneficial properties of dried fruit compote

You can always make compote from dried fruits. Each housewife can choose the ingredients to suit her taste by combining her favorite fruits:

The ability to constantly experiment with the composition allows this drink to always be in favor. After all, he simply doesn’t have time to get bored. At the same time, the aroma and taste of the compote can always be adjusted at will - add certain components as much as you want. Sugar is also added to your taste during cooking. The basic ingredients can be diluted with spices: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom.

However, this is not the only advantage of the drink. Dried fruit compote is incredibly healthy. Thanks to the variety of ingredients, this delicacy is enriched with B vitamins, zinc, ascorbic acid, sodium, potassium, iron and other valuable substances.

Regular consumption of such a drink, brewed according to one of many recipes, has a beneficial effect on the immune system of a child and an adult. That is why it is worth including compote in your diet in the fall, early spring and winter months, when the body is in dire need of vitamin supplementation.

Compote, which contains dried apples and pears, helps normalize intracranial pressure. This drink eliminates seasonal depression and promotes metabolism.

Another useful quality of the drink is the normalization of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Particularly valuable in this regard are compositions that contain prunes, cinnamon and dried apricots.

Among other benefits of dried fruit compote, it is worth noting:

improved mood;
eliminating problems with urination;
normalization of brain activity and memory;
strengthening blood vessels;
beneficial effects on the circulatory system and heart function.

On a note! Such drinks relieve swelling, and compositions with dried cherries also increase hemoglobin.

Such simple delicacies are indispensable during colds, as they relieve coughs and sore throats well. It is useful to add dried blueberries to compotes, which improve vision, as well as dried apricots and peaches, which promote the breakdown of fats.

How to make dried fruit compote

Before you start cooking, you need to sort out the dried fruits, remove large debris, and then rinse thoroughly. There is no point in soaking them. The only exception is if you bought a set that contained a lot of sand and small debris. In this case, the compote mixture should be poured with cold water and let it sit for 15 minutes so that the wrinkles straighten out and it is easier to wash out all the dirt. I poured the prepared dried fruits directly into the pan where the compote will be cooked. By the way, enamel cookware is best suited, but aluminum will have to be abandoned, as it is oxidized by fruit acids.
I filled it with cold water - spring or filtered water will do, but not from the tap! Covered the pan with a lid and put it on high heat. As soon as the water came to a boil, I reduced the heat to low.
Cooked for 30 minutes from the moment of boiling. Then added sugar to taste, boiled for another minute and removed the pan from the heat.
You can drink it right away, but it’s better to let the compote brew for at least half an hour under the lid. After this, you can strain the drink or leave it as is. When hot, it is usually poured into mugs or cups, when cooled - into glasses.

On a note

If desired, you can add freshly squeezed lemon juice (or citric acid) to the drink to taste, as well as aromatic seasonings: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc. These additives will make the taste even brighter and richer.

Simple recipes for delicious dried fruit compotes

Fresh fruits and berries of most varieties spoil quickly. The best way to preserve them for a long time without losing their valuable properties is drying. During the cold season, dried fruits will be in demand for preparing delicious dishes and aromatic drinks. Before you cook dried fruit compote, which tastes good and is healthy for the body, it is worth remembering what set of vitamins is contained in dried fruits.

Recipe for dried fruit compote with lemon

I propose another way to prepare dried fruit compote with an additional ingredient.

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Number of servings: 10. Calorie content: 100 ml – 60 kcal. Kitchen appliances and utensils: stove, saucepan with lid and deep bowl.

Ingredients

dried fruits	200 g
sugar	3 tbsp. l.
water	2.5-3 l
lemon	1/4 part

How to choose ingredients

Dried fruits from pears, plums and dried apricots will give the compote a special taste and rich color. When purchasing, pay attention to the composition of the mixture and its appearance.

Step-by-step preparation

Rinse 200 g of dried fruits in cold water. Pour 1 liter of cold water over them in a deep bowl and leave for 1 hour.
Read also: How to brew ginger tea with lemon for weight loss
Boil 1.5-2 liters of water in a saucepan and add dried fruits to it.
Fill table 3. spoons of sugar and boil for another 3-5 minutes.
Squeeze 1 slice of lemon into the compote and throw it into the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat, strain the drink and cool it.

Recipe video

Do you want to prepare a healthy and tasty dried fruit compote for your child but don’t know how and how much to cook it? Then watch this short video with a cooking recipe demonstration and detailed comments.

What dried fruits are the healthiest?

The arsenal of dried fruits and berries contains vitamins B2, B6, B5, A, E, and K. The exception is rosehip, which holds the record for ascorbic acid content (from 800 to 1200 mg with an average daily value of 80 mg). A small set of vitamins is more than compensated by the rich mineral composition of the fruit. In many cases, the proportion of macro- and microelements in 100 g of dried fruits far exceeds the body’s daily needs, for example:

in figs – 400% boron, 296.7% silicon, 138% chromium from the amount required per day;
in dates – 553.7% silicon, 159% chromium, 131.4% boron, 232.5% vanadium;
in cherries – 179% boron, 137% silicon.

For example, 100 g of apples, dried apricots, and pears contains about half the daily requirement of copper. The same amount of raisins, dates, black currants - ½ the norm of zinc and potassium. Dried fruits contain iron, magnesium, vanadium, manganese, plus natural sugars and fiber.

Thanks to the chemical composition of delicious components, dried fruit compote acquires a number of useful properties:

improves immunity, relieves cold symptoms;
has a beneficial effect on the digestive system;
helps strengthen the heart and blood vessels;
normalizes blood pressure;
increases hemoglobin;
helps get rid of depression.

General cooking rules

You can prepare compote in different ways. To make it tasty and rich, you need to follow the general recommendations:

be sure to wash dried fruits with hot water before placing them in a pan, since their skin often contains not only street dust, but also sulfur dioxide;
use only enamel containers without chips;
immerse fruits in water only after boiling;

How long does it take to cook compote from dried fruits and berries?

Please note that the cooking time for fruit varies. Therefore, the components of a compote consisting of a mixture of dried fruits cannot be placed in boiling water at the same time. This is done in the following sequence:

After the water boils, place apples and pears into the container.
After 20 minutes, add dried apricots, prunes, dates, cherries, cranberries, figs, barberries, black currants, and dogwoods.
When a quarter of an hour has passed, pour the raisins into the pan and let them simmer for 5 minutes.

Classic recipe for compote with sugar

Most children and adults prefer a sweet drink. Therefore, granulated sugar is added to traditional compote. Its amount ranges from 150 to 300 g per liter of water and depends on the preferences of the family. In addition, for cooking you will need (per 3 liters of water):

200 g apples;
50-70 g pears;
150 g prunes;
50 g raisins;
100 g dried apricots;
1 tbsp. l. fresh lemon juice or 2-3 g of citric acid.

The step-by-step recipe looks like this:

Dried fruits are divided into 3 groups: apples and pears, dried apricots and prunes, raisins. Then they are washed with warm water, and store-bought fruits are additionally doused with boiling water.
Bring the water to a boil, add apples, pears, and granulated sugar.
After 20 minutes, dried apricots with prunes are placed in the container, after 15 minutes - raisins and acid.
When 4-5 minutes have passed, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and remove from the stove.
After 2-3 hours, the cooled drink is poured into a glass jar or jug, served or placed in the refrigerator for storage.

Video with preparation details.

Delicious compote in a slow cooker

To prepare a delicious drink for family or guests, add 400 g of compote mixture to a three-liter bowl or:

a handful of raisins and apples and pears cut into slices;
10 pieces. dried cherries;
6 pcs. prunes with pits;
2.5 liters of water;
sugar to taste.

The actions are performed in the following order:

Wash dried fruits and soak in warm water for half an hour.
Drain the water and place the mixture in a colander to drain excess liquid.

Uzvar with honey and aromatic additives

Spices and citrus fruits will help make the taste of the drink brighter. Ground cinnamon will add a tart, sweet-woody aroma, replenish the deficiency of manganese and calcium, and speed up metabolic processes in the body. Star anise and anise will give a pleasant aftertaste and have a warming effect.

In order for star anise to reveal its amber, it is immersed in boiling water 4-5 minutes before it is ready, then infused. For 1.5 liters of liquid, 1-2 cloves of star anise or ¼ tsp is enough. yellow-brown powder. As the dosage of this spice increases, the product will acquire a bitter taste.

When using cloves, you should remember that with prolonged heating, the heat of the spice increases and the aroma weakens.

To prepare 1 liter of spicy compote you will need:

100 g each of dried cherries and cranberries;
150 g each of prunes and dried apricots;
juice and zest of a medium orange;
1 tsp. ground cinnamon;
2 buds of anise, star anise or cloves;
100-200 g granulated sugar;
1 tsp. lemon juice.

Video with instructions on how to prepare a delicious drink in a slow cooker.

Healthy compote during the cold season with ginger and honey

Not only tasty, but extremely healthy drink is prepared with ginger and honey. The uniqueness of ginger root and beekeeping products lies in their multifaceted medicinal properties. If you need to strengthen the body during the cold season, then this healing drink is a godsend for the family.

Ingredients for the drink:

100 g dried apricots;
1 tbsp. l. raisins;
2 tbsp. l. dried cranberries and cherries;
200 g apples;
50 g liquid honey;
a piece of ginger 2-3 cm long, cut into slices;
mint, thyme optional.

Peppermint is the owner of tannins, ascorbic acid, esters and menthol, which gives the perennial plant bactericidal properties and a recognizable taste. Add no more than 3-5 g of leaves per glass of boiling water.

The drink is prepared in 3 steps:

Washed dried fruits and chopped ginger, placed in a saucepan, are poured with water (1-1.5 l).
The mixture is heated over low heat. After boiling, add herbs and cook for 10 minutes.
When the contents become warm, add honey. You can choose other simple recipes yourself by experimenting with spices.

Dietary and medicinal dried fruit compote

By adding dry berries with medicinal properties to the uzvar, you can get not only a tasty, but also a medicinal drink. To do this, add to traditional fruits:

Rose hip . It has choleretic and hepatoprotective properties.
Hawthorn . It has a healing effect in case of heart rhythm disturbances.
Dried blueberries . It will make the medicinal drink beautiful and improve vision.
Sea buckthorn . Relieves inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Dry elderberries . Used as a prophylactic for hemorrhoids.
Dried pears . Can be cooked separately. Has bactericidal properties. This drink perfectly disinfects the organs of the urinary system.

To prepare, proceed as follows:

a decoction of berries indicated for a particular disease is prepared in a water bath;
at the same time prepare a classic uzvar from dried fruits;
both components are infused, the decoctions are mixed in a 1:1 ratio.

In this case, compote is prepared from dried fruits without adding sugar. An excellent substitute can be honey or a decoction of stevia leaf.

If necessary, you can diversify the drink. Add medicinal herbs that have an expectorant and diaphoretic effect. In this case, use dried fruits:

Linden blossom;
flowers of chamomile and violet tricolor;
dried elderberry flowers.

This drink will warm you up in cold weather and help with fever and acute respiratory infections.

Compote for pregnant and lactating women

During pregnancy, the expectant mother especially needs vitamins and minerals. A drink made from dried fruits will not only deliver them to the body, but will also help get rid of many health problems, for example:

dates will strengthen the muscles of the uterus and prevent diabetes;
rose hips will relieve swelling;
prunes will relieve constipation;
dried apricots will strengthen the heart muscle and blood vessels;
figs will improve metabolism;
pears and apples will increase hemoglobin.

To make the drink even more healthy, you can add 1 tsp to it once a day. natural honey.

Taking this assortment in the morning will enhance your metabolism, and taking it in the evening will make your sleep deep and restful.

Is it possible for a nursing mother to have compote?

Of course, yes, but not immediately and with caution, introducing new components into it as follows:

raisins and prunes - 2 weeks after birth;
figs and dried apricots – in a month;
pears, dates and apples - after 3 months.

When breastfeeding, it is better to eliminate or limit the consumption of sugar and use the compote recipe that was prepared during pregnancy.

How to make a drink from dried fruits for a baby?

Dried fruit compote is introduced into the diet of a child who is fed breast milk from six months of age. If the baby is artificial, then 2 months earlier. A new drink begins with 1 tsp, gradually increasing the volume to 0.5 tbsp. The first drink for babies is prepared only from apples according to the following recipe:

Wash 100 g of dry slices, pour boiling water over them and soak in warm water for 1-2 hours. When the fruits become soft, drain the water.

One-component compotes from dried apricots, raisins and prunes are prepared using the same scheme. Only the cooking and pre-soaking times are changed, namely:

dried apricots, cut into quarters, are soaked and boiled for 20 minutes;
raisins – 10 min;
prunes – 15 min.

For a 1-year-old child, you can brew a multi-ingredient drink. For it they take (per 1 liter of water):

prunes – 4 pcs.;
dried apricots – 3-5 pcs.;
raisins – 1 tbsp. l.

The method of preparing the assortment is the same as in previous recipes.

How to properly cook dried fruit compote to preserve vitamins?

Remembering that vitamins are destroyed when compote is cooked for a long time, you involuntarily ask the question: how to cook it correctly in order to preserve all the nutrients?

According to nutritionists, boiling fruit raw materials for 10 minutes destroys the following vitamins:

In 9 - by 98%;
C or ascorbic acid - 95%;
B1 - by 85%;
E - by 80%;

Undoubtedly, the broth will be tasty, but completely useless!

What proportions of water and dried fruits should I use?

There are no strict standards when preparing the drink. Those who like a rich broth add more fruit. But I myself became curious to find out what standards are established in the technological maps of kindergartens or canteens. Let’s say that the flow chart for a regular catering canteen states that for 2 liters. water, you need to add 125 g of dried fruits.

As for the proportions of sugar, it depends on your preferences. I always put it to my taste. If there are more fruits, then I add less sand. Up to 2 tbsp per liter of water. l sugar, if the raw material is 150 g.

The technological map for children from 1.5 to 3 years old indicates the following standards: for 175 ml of water, you need to take 20 g of dried fruits and 11 g of sugar. You can independently calculate the layout for 1 liter. water and 2 liters.

Simple compote of dried apricots (apricots)

Dried apricots are a great alternative to sweets. In terms of mineral and fiber content, they are considered leaders among dried fruits. But apricot, a dried apricot with a pit, is considered healthier. If you include southern sweets in your diet, your blood vessels will not lose their elasticity and will receive reliable insurance against cholesterol plaques.

Ingredients for a simple classic recipe for 2 liters:

water – 2 l;
dried apricots – no more than 300 g;
sugar – 100 g;
add citric acid to taste.

Before cooking, dried apricots are washed and soaked in a container with cold water for 3 hours. Then add to boiling syrup along with citric acid and cook for 15 minutes. The sample is taken after 2 hours, when the contents have acquired a rich color and aroma.

When choosing ingredients for compote, you need to consider who it is being cooked for and for what purpose it will be used. It is important to brew the right drink for pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies. Then it will bring great health benefits.

Dried apple compote

Ingredients: dried apples – 200 grams; water – 2.5 liters; sugar – 200 grams; cloves and allspice - 2 peas each.

Now let's start creating our drink:

First you need to sort out the dried apples, rinse them, and transfer them to a container. Fill the contents with water and send to the fire.

As soon as the liquid with apples boils, pour sugar into the boiling broth and let the compote cook until the apples become soft.

If you wish, you can add lemon juice from half a citrus to the drink.

Also add cloves and allspice to the compote; when the drink is ready, cool it and treat it to your household!