Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fruit Base
- 225 g prunes, halved
- 170 g dried apricots, halved
- 170 g dried apples, halved
- 170 g dried peaches, cut into thirds or quarters
- 170 g dried pears, cut into thirds or quarters
Liquid and Aromatics
- 1500 ml water
- 50 g superfine sugar
- 180 ml armagnac
Serving
- 500 g vanilla ice cream
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 298 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 36 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 16 mg
- Potassium
- 448 mg
- Calcium
- 85 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 86 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 88 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 235 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using kitchen shears, cut the prunes, dried apples, and dried apricots in half.
Cut the dried peaches and pears into thirds or quarters using the shears.
Place all prepared fruit in a heavy non-stick saucepan and add enough water to cover the fruit by 7.5cm (3 inches).
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to moderate and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the fruit is tender.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sugar to your preferred sweetness level, then add the 180ml of Armagnac.
Transfer the compote to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow flavors to meld.
Shortly before serving, reheat the compote on the stovetop or in a microwave until warm.
Serve the warm compote in bowls, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Chef's Notes
- The 24-hour resting period is essential for the Armagnac to penetrate the fruit without the harshness of the alcohol being too dominant.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep in a sealed container.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw in refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl.
Troubleshooting
Fruit is mushy or falling apart
Cause: The compote was simmered too long or at too high a temperature.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can be blended into a fruit butter.
Prevention: Check the fruit for tenderness starting at 15 minutes.
Compote is too watery
Cause: Not enough liquid evaporated during the uncovered simmer.
Fix: Strain some of the liquid or simmer the liquid alone to reduce it before re-adding the fruit.
Prevention: Ensure the saucepan is wide and remains uncovered during cooking.
Cultural Context
Armagnac is a distinctive grape brandy from the Gascony region of France, traditionally used to preserve and flavor autumn harvests.
