Apple & Honey Harvest Compote

A gently spiced compote of apples, dried fruit, walnuts and honey — the taste of the autumn harvest and the New Year table. Warm over yogurt, spoon over kasha, or eat by the bowlful.

Why you'll love this recipe

• An old world recipe, made the way it always was
• Not one spoon of refined sugar
• Sweetened with real honey
• Makes enough for 6
• Easy, with clear steps and nothing fussy

What you'll need

Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.

• 5 apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tbsp raw honey (off heat)
• 1 cup (240 ml) water or apple juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 strip lemon peel

How to make it

Combine apples, apricots, raisins, water, cinnamon, cloves and lemon peel in a pot.

Simmer gently 20–25 minutes until the apples are soft and the liquid is syrupy.

Remove the cloves and lemon peel.

Off the heat, stir in the honey and walnuts.

Serve warm or chilled, over yogurt, porridge or on its own.

Storage

Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.

You may also enjoy

Spiced Baked Apples with Walnuts & Honey (Pechyonye Yabloki)

Poppy Seed Roll "Makivnyk"

Vareniki with Sweet Cherry Filling