This Brandy Spiced Pear Compote recipe has a combination of pears and brandy simmered together in spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg creating an elegant and delicious compote.
What is compote?
Compote is a thick flavorful fruit preserve. Its fruit is cooked low and slow in a sugar and spices until it's soft and sweet but still holds the fruits chunky texture.
Compote vs Jam
Jam is made from chopped or pureed fruit that has been cooked down with sugar. Its texture is usually spoonable. Compote is made with fresh or dried fruit, cooked low and slow in a sugar syrup so that the fruit pieces stay somewhat chunkier and intact.
How do you eat fruite compote?
- Pear compote for pancakes
- Eat it for breakfast on top of yogurt or oatmeal
- Top your favorite ice cream
- Fold in with whipped cream and serve in a pretty glass
- Use in a filling for hand pie like my Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Spread it on English muffins or toast
- Top warm Brie that has been baked in filo dough
- For a main dish serve as a topping for roasted pork, beef, or grilled chicken.
- For a simple but elegant side dish try roasting vegetables such as acorn squash. During the last 15 minutes of cooking place a generous size dollop of brandy spiced pear compote in the center of the squash. The sauce will bake into the squash adding a sweet brandy flavor. Just before serving drizzle warm honey over the compote topped squash.
Canned Pear Compote
Compote is easy to can and enjoy all winter long. If you are new to canning be sure and read my Canning Supplies Guide. There are many helpful tips and ideas.
Tips and tricks for canning
To make canning the compote quicker I used a Prepworks vegetable and fruit chopper. I just peeled the pears, sliced in half, and cored. Then I placed on the chopper and pushed them through, perfect little cubes super fast!
Measuring fruit for a recipe
Download your printable guide for estimating fruit and vegetable yields per pound. It lists the amounts of fruits in relation to measuring cup equivalencies.
🔪 Instructions
- Wash pears and lemon under cold running water, scrubbing well.
- Peel, cut pears in half then core and dice into cubes.
- Finely chop lemon, including peel, using a food processor
- Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat stirring to prevent sticking
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Serve warm or follow the canning instructions in the recipe below to enjoy all winter long.
What kind of pears
According to Good Housekeeping, Bosc and Anjou varieties are tops at holding their shape and texture. In a pinch, Bartletts and other varieties work fine, too.
How to prepare and cut pears
- Wash your pears well.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put in a few pears at a time and then remove. Don't let them sit in water for more than a few seconds. Place in a pan with ice water. Remove pear and rub the skin off.
- Use an apple corer, cutting from the fruit's base to remove the core.
- Cut in half and then into the desired sizes and shapes for your recipe.
- Once cut, pears will oxidize quickly and turn a brownish color. As you work keep them in a pan of cool water with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Mix-ins and other fruit add-in options
This compote would pair well with mixing in apples, raisins, or candied ginger
What spices are in pear compote?
Pears are a slightly sweet fruit that ripens in the fall. This compote recipe plays to that with warm and aromatic classic fall spices such as cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.
How long will compote be good?
If you can your compote it will have a shelf life of up to a year. If you don't then keep it in the refrigerator and use within a week. You could also freeze it in small containers and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
More Pear Recipes
Brandy Spiced Pear Compote Recipe
Note:
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Ingredients
- 15 pears about 6 lbs
- 1 lemon large
- 1 cup raisins
- 6 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons cloves
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg freshly ground freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder
- 1 cup brandy
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Instructions
- Wash pears and lemon under cold running water, scrubbing well.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put in a few pears at a time and then remove. Don't let them sit in water for more than a few seconds. Place in a pan with ice water. Remove pear and rub the skin off.
- Use an apple corer, cutting from the fruit's base to remove the core. Cut in half and then into small cubes. Once cut, pears will oxidize quickly and turn a brownish color. As you work keep them in a pan of cool water with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Zest all of lemon, then peel and chop lemon pulp using a food processor
- Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat stirring to prevent sticking
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Fill water bath canner with enough water to cover jars and bring to a boil
- Ladle hot compote into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe clean the jar rims.
- Center lid on jar and adjust band to fingertip-tight
- Place jars on the rack elevated over boiling water, about 180 degrees in the boiling water bath canner
- Lower the rack into water being sure jars are covered by 1 inch of water
- Adjust heat to medium high, cover canner and bring to a rolling boil
- Once water comes to a boil again, set timer to process pints for 25 minutes
- Turn off heat and remove cover.
- Let jars cool 5 minutes.
- Remove jars from canner and allow to cool 12 hours before removing rings.
- Test seals, label and date. Store in a cool dry place.
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