Jazz Up Desserts With a Microwave Fruit Compote

Fruit compote is one of the simplest ways to add a bright and sophisticated component to anything from ice cream to oatmeal, or even roasted meats. While you might normally make a big batch of berry compote in a pot on the stove, this would be overkill for a smaller endeavor, like French toast for two. For light work and even lighter cleanup, make your fruit compote in the microwave.

Fruit compote is, fundamentally, a mixture of fruit and sugar cooked down into a sauce. Depending on the fruit and how ripe it is, you may need to adjust the sweetness and consistency with a touch of flavorings and/or thickeners. I've found that making a microwave compote is most successful with frozen berries. Their cellular structure is already weakened from being frozen, making their juices readily available once thawed. Fresh fruit requires more intervention.

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I used a combination of frozen strawberries and frozen cherries. (The blueberries are off-limits since they belong to my boyfriend's smoothies.) Add your fro-fruit of choice to a microwave safe measuring cup with a splash of water or fruit juice. This liquid will provide a buffer and help conduct the heat more evenly. I once put very frozen spinach in the microwave without water and it had the same effect as nuking a ball of foil.

For roughly a cup and a quarter of frozen berries, add one tablespoon of water. Pop it in the microwave for one minute. At this point the berries should be mostly defrosted and plenty of juice should be loose. Mash up the fruit with a spoon, or two forks to make smaller pieces, and taste it. Add a tablespoon or so of sugar depending on your preference. In a small bowl, stir together a small amount of cornstarch slurry. Stir this slurry into the fruit mixture, and throw it back in the microwave, lightly covered, for 30 seconds. Take it out and give it a stir. Microwave it again for 10-30 seconds, but keep an eye on it. If it starts to bubble and rise in the measuring cup, it's done. Check the consistency. Keep in mind that it will thicken slightly as it cools, but if you'd like it thicker, add more cornstarch slurry and repeat the microwave procedure.

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The following berry compote recipe has measurements appropriate for the strawberries and cherries that I had, but keep in mind that different fruit frozen during different times of year will have more or less juice to offer. Slight adjustments might be necessary. Any pops of flavor, like a squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of cinnamon, or a splash of vanilla should be stirred in at the end. Once the compote is cool, spoon over ice cream, bostock, panna cotta, pancakes or pork chops. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, for about five days.

Microwave Berry Compote

Ingredients:

Put the frozen berries and one tablespoon of water in a microwave safe cup or bowl. Microwave for one minute. The berries should be mostly thawed. Give them a good smash to break up the fruit. (For stubborn fruit, use an immersion blender for one or two pulses.) Microwave for another 30 seconds to completely defrost the fruit.

Taste the fruit and add sugar if needed. Mix the cornstarch and second installment of water to make a slurry. Stir this into the fruit mixture thoroughly. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 10-30 seconds, or until the mixture begins to bubble and rise. Test the consistency, keeping in mind it will thicken slightly more as it cools. For a thicker fruit compote, add more cornstarch slurry, and repeat the microwave step.