Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Compote (French for "mixture")

Compote (French for "mixture") is a dessert originating from 17th century France made of whole or pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. Whole fruits are cooked in water with sugar and spices. The syrup may be seasoned with vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon sticks or powder, cloves, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit, or raisins. The compote is served either warm or cold.
The French invented compote believing that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body.
The name is derived from the French word compote, meaning mixture. Compote was originally served as an afternoon snack with sour cream and biscuits.
Actually in the culinary arts, a compote is a recipe consisting of some sort of fruit, fresh or dried, that has been stewed in a syrup of sugar and other flavorings. The fruit in a compote can be whole or puréed.
Fruit compote is frequently made from figs, pears, apples, plums, berries, or even rhubarb. Compote recipes usually include other flavorings, such as vanilla, cinnamon or cloves.

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