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Drinks · Recipe No. 50

Christmas Eve Dried Fruit Compote

Traditional Polish Christmas Eve compote made from dried plums, figs, apples, pears and peaches, with lemon juice and a little sugar. Serve it lukewarm.

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Recipe

Christmas Eve Dried Fruit Compote

Ingredients

This compote (a traditional sweet drink made by simmering fruit in water) also has to be on the Christmas Eve table. Just like the red barszcz (Polish beet soup) with uszka (little dumplings shaped like "ears"), we wait for it all year, and only on this one day does it taste so special.

For the compote, I recommend pitted prunes (dried plums). I like them best when they're firm.

dried fruit compote

If some of your fruit is very dry (e.g. prunes), pour cold water over it a day or a few hours ahead and let it soak. Combine it with the rest of the fruit and cook everything together until the fruit is soft. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste and serve lukewarm.

Additional information:

I like to replace part of the sugar with brown sugar.

To add a festive flavor, I sometimes also add half a cinnamon stick and 2 cloves while cooking, and I take them out before serving the compote.