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Blueberry Compote

4.6

(28)

A spoon scooping blueberry compote out of a bowl.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

This easy blueberry compote recipe has infinite applications. Stir it into Greek yogurt with a handful of granola, or spoon it onto crepes, French toast, or waffles. Serve fruit compote alongside a pound cake or cheesecake, or swirl it into vanilla ice cream. Turn it into a silky blueberry sauce by adding a few more tablespoons of water and whisking vigorously over medium heat until all the berries burst (or even blitz in your blender), then drizzle it over pancakes or oatmeal in lieu of maple syrup.

While fresh blueberries provide the best texture, frozen blueberries work just fine. Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries all make excellent fruit compotes; adjust the amounts of sweetener and lemon juice and zest to taste. Swap in peeled, cored, and cubed apples or pears, or experiment with other flavor profiles, like adding a dash of coriander, combining raspberries with lime juice and zest, or adding a pinch of ground cinnamon and splash of vanilla extract to apples for autumnal vibes.

Leftover blueberry compote keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    15 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes about 1½ cups

Ingredients

½ cup (100 g) sugar
2 (3x½") strips lemon zest
2 cups blueberries (about 10 oz.)
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Bring ½ cup (100 g) sugar, 2 (3x½") strips lemon zest, and ½ cup water to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Discard zest. Stir in 2 cups blueberries (about 10 oz.), bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to burst, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Blueberry compote on buttered toast.
    Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich



    Editor’s note: This recipe for blueberry compote was first printed in the July 2006 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our best blueberry recipes →

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