Easy Fruit Compote

This dried fruit compote makes a great alternative to standard sundae toppings like strawberry sauce or chocolate syrup.  The original recipe called for one 7-ounce package of Fruit Bits by Sun-Maid.  I opted not to use that item, however, since I can't be sure the sugar is vegan.  Instead, it requires only a bit more effort (and some chopping) to recreate the mix of dried fruit at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 (3-inch) lemon rind strip
• 7 ounces mixed dried fruit bits*

1. Combine the water, agave nectar, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon rind in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 5 to 6 minutes - the water should be boiling hot, and infused with the spices.  Remove the cloves, cinnamon, and lemon rind with a slotted spoon and discard.

2. Add the fruit bits to the water mixture, and return to the microwave for 1 and 1/2 minutes.  Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.

You can serve the compote chilled, or at room temperature.  I particularly liked it over both the vanilla ice cream from Soy Delicious and the lemon sorbet from Ciao Bella.

*For the fruit medley, I used 1 ounce each of: dried apples, dried plums, dried peaches, dried apricots, dried cherries, raisins, and golden raisins.  Don't forget to chop the larger items into smaller pieces.

Nutrition Info:
16 servings (2 tablespoons), Calories 49

Tasting Notes:
Quick and easy.  Over vanilla ice cream in particular, the compote tasted like pie a la mode without the crust.  I would make a few changes next time; the cinnamon and lemon flavors got lost under all that dried fruit, so rather than boil the whole cinnamon stick and whole lemon rind, I would stir in ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and grated lemon rind or a splash of lemon juice.  I also would increase the amount of water, so that the final product is more of a syrup.  The dried fruit absorbed nearly the entire 1 cup of water called for.

Rating:
3