Kompot
Kompot is a light, fragrant cooked fruit drink with a gentle sweetness and warming spice. This version blends plums, cherries, and apple into a ruby-toned drink that is comforting warm and especially refreshing when chilled.
Ingredients
Owocowy kompot
- 900 mlwater
- 200 gplums, halved and pitted
- 150 gcherries, pitted
- 120 gapple, cored and sliced
- 45 gsugar
- 1cinnamon stick
- 3whole cloves
- 10 mllemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the fruit: halve and pit the plums, pit the cherries, and core and slice the apple. Keeping the slices fairly even helps the fruit soften at the same rate and gives a clearer-looking kompot.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring once or twice just until the sugar dissolves.
- 3
Add the plums, cherries, and apple to the spiced water. Return to a gentle simmer, then cook for 12-15 minutes, uncovered, until the fruit is tender but not falling apart. Avoid a hard boil, which can make the drink cloudy and the fruit mushy.
- 4
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the kompot rest for 5 minutes so the spices infuse more fully and the fruit settles slightly.
- 5
Taste and adjust sweetness only if needed, then serve warm, or cool and chill before serving. For a more traditional presentation, ladle some of the cooked fruit into each glass or bowl along with the liquid.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Kompot can be served warm in cool weather or well chilled in summer.
- •If your cherries are very sweet, reduce the sugar to 30-35 g; if the fruit is tart, keep the full 45 g.
- •For a clearer drink, avoid stirring once the fruit has been added and let the kompot sit briefly before pouring.
- •The cooked fruit is fully edible and often served together with the drink.
Background
Kompot is a traditional fruit drink found across Poland and much of Central and Eastern Europe. In Polish homes it is commonly made from fresh summer fruit or dried fruit in winter, and it has long been served with everyday meals as well as holiday tables.
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