Forget that scented candle. Turn this compote on in the afternoon and within an hour your whole house will smell of cinnamon, warm fruit and a little bit of Christmas. Peel the fruit, put everything in the pot, put the lid on and you're done. It won't get any easier this year. - Lobke
Why this works so well in the crockpot
Fruit that slowly cooks at a low temperature breaks down softly without burning. So you don't have to stand by the pan stirring like with compote on the stove. The cinnamon and star anise have plenty of time to release their flavour. Choose firm pears and a mix of sweet and tart apples, then you'll get the nicest balance. Want to buy a crockpot yourself? In "which crockpot is the best choice for you?" read what you need to know before you choose.
Get started!
- Peel the apples and pears, remove the core and cut them into quarters.
- Put them in the crockpot with the brown sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, the lemon juice and a splash of water.
- Set it on low for about 4 hours.
- Stir it occasionally if you feel like it. It's not mandatory, but you get a cloud of cinnamon scent as a bonus every time.
- Fish out the cinnamon stick and star anise.
- Mash the compote coarsely with a fork, or leave the pieces whole. You're the boss.
- Eat it warm as a dessert or let it cool down for your breakfast.
Tip
At the end, stir in a knob of butter and a splash of vanilla extract. Then it tastes just a little bit like apple pie.
Variations and serving suggestions
- Dessert: warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and crumbled speculaas.
- Breakfast: cold through Greek yoghurt with granola or on oatmeal.
Storage and leftovers
In a clean, sealed pot, the compote stays good for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is also perfectly fine, in small portions. Leftovers are delicious on a pancake or as a filling in a crêpe.
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