Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a thick mixed berry compote made from five frozen berries — strawberry, blueberry, red currant, blackberry and raspberry — cooked into a glossy, deep red base and then folded back together so the fruit stays whole. A little rum, lemon juice and citric acid keep the flavour sharp rather than jammy, and modified starch holds it firm once it is cold.
Because it sets thick and does not run, it is ideal as a layer inside cakes and entremets, as a filling between sponge layers, in tarts and rolls, or spooned under a mousse. It also works simply as a sauce for desserts if you thin it slightly with a little extra juice.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 1322
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: batch of about 1.3 kg of thick compote, enough to fill several home-sized cakes
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Frozen Strawberries
Frozen strawberries are ripe berries picked and frozen at their peak, so they carry full flavour and colour all year round. They break down easily when heated and are ideal for syrups, glazes and purées where the fruit will be cooked and strained anyway.
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thawed, juice reserved |
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B
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Frozen Blueberries
Blueberries are small, deep blue-purple berries with a mild sweet-tart flavour. Frozen blueberries hold their shape well in cooking and are sold all year round, making them a reliable choice for fillings and compotes.
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thawed, juice reserved |
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C
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Frozen Red Currants
Red currants are small, translucent red berries with a sharp, clean acidity and a light berry perfume. They are usually sold frozen on or off the stalk, and frozen fruit works perfectly well in cooked glazes and sauces because the berries break down as they heat.
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thawed, juice reserved |
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D
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Frozen Blackberries
Blackberries are dark purple-black berries made up of many small juicy segments. They are tart with a deep berry flavour and give colour and body to compotes and fillings.
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thawed, juice reserved |
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E
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100 |
3.5 ounces
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Frozen Raspberries
Frozen raspberries are whole ripe raspberries snap-frozen soon after picking. They break down easily when heated and give a strong colour and a sharp, fresh berry flavour, which makes them ideal for glazes, coulis and purées where fresh fruit would be costly or out of season.
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thawed, juice reserved |
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F
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500 |
2.1 cups
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Water
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G
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20 |
1 tablespoons
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Rum
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H
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20 |
1 tablespoons
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Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice is the juice squeezed from whole lemons and strained of seeds and pulp. It gives a natural sharpness and aroma that bottled juice cannot match, and roughly three medium lemons will yield the amount needed here.
strained
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I
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2 |
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Citric Acid
Citric acid is the natural acid found in lemons and other citrus fruit, sold as fine white crystals or powder. A small pinch sharpens the flavour of sugar syrups and helps stop them crystallising during storage.
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J
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5 |
1 teaspoon
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Vanilla Essence
Vanilla Extract is made with 100% pure vanilla beans. With a sweet, syrupy consistency, this Vanilla is ideal for use in icings, drinks and whipped cream as well as classic baking recipes. Vanilla Essence is commercially manufactured by chemicals and is more of a watery consistency as opposed to vanilla extract which is thicker and a lot fuller and richer in flavour. You can replace one with the other but use 50% more of essence. For example, for 1 teaspoon of extract, use 1.5 teaspoons of essence.
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K
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200 |
7 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
caster
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L
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75 |
2.6 ounces
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Modified Starch
Modified starch is a corn or tapioca starch that has been treated so it thickens smoothly and stays stable when acid, sugar and freezing are involved. In a glaze it gives body and shine without becoming cloudy or watery; plain corn starch can be used instead, though the set will be a little softer.
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1322
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
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STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Thaw |
Spread A, B, C, D and E (frozen strawberries, blueberries, red currants, blackberries and raspberries) in a colander set over a bowl and let them thaw completely so the juice drains out. |
Berries soft but still whole, juice collected in the bowl below |
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2 |
Prepare |
Add F (water) to the collected berry juice. The chef tops the juice up with water to a set weight, so measure your liquid and make up the difference with water if you prefer a smaller, more concentrated batch. |
Berry juice and water combined into one measured liquid |
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3 |
Mix |
In a small bowl, whisk K and L (caster sugar and modified starch) together dry so the starch is evenly spread through the sugar. |
No lumps of starch left |
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4 |
Thicken |
Bring the berry juice and water to the boil in a saucepan, then whisk in the sugar and starch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens. |
Thick, glossy and clear, coating the back of a spoon |
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5 |
Flavour |
Take the pan off the heat and stir in G, H, I and J (rum, fresh lemon juice, citric acid and vanilla essence). |
Citric acid fully dissolved; taste sharp and fruity, not flat |
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6 |
Fold |
Let the thickened base cool a little, then fold the drained berries through gently with a spatula. |
Berries coated but still whole, not crushed or broken down |
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7 |
Cool |
Transfer to a clean container, cover the surface with cling film and cool completely before using. |
Set firm and thick when cold, holding its shape on a spoon |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1.3 kg of thick compote. Once cold it sets firm enough to pipe or spread as a layer inside cakes, tarts and mousse desserts without running. Keep it covered in the fridge and use within a few days, or freeze it in portions. If you want a looser sauce, thin it with a little extra juice or water after it has cooled. The chef's note on the sheet is to make the liquid up to a set weight with water before thickening, so you can adjust the batch size to suit what you are filling.
Tools & Arrangements
Colander and bowl for thawing and draining the berries, kitchen scales, medium saucepan, whisk, rubber spatula, small bowl for the sugar and starch, storage container and cling film.
