Fruit compote

A pastry textbook describes compote as cooked fruit served in its own cooking liquid, usually a sugar syrup. The fruit can be fresh, frozen, or dried, and the compote can be served hot or cold.

Because the fruit is cooked gently in syrup, pieces often stay fairly whole, and the syrup picks up the fruit's flavor and color. Cooks sometimes add spices, citrus peel, or a splash of wine or liqueur to the liquid.

Compote is easy to confuse with other fruit preparations. It is not a strained puree like a coulis, which is uncooked, and it is not a fruit sauce, which is a fruit puree cooked and thickened with starch. Compote is spooned over cakes, puddings, and ice cream, served with breakfast dishes, or used as a simple dessert on its own.