Blueberries are one of my favourite summer fruits, and can often be found growing in the wild in Northern Europe. We pick wild blueberries (waldheidelbeeren) in Germany in July and August in the forests but they are, like most wild foods, hard to find in the Netherlands.
I recently ordered a package of organic fresh blueberries from a farmer in Spain, but apart from that now I’ll be using frozen or waiting until they’re in season where I live. It was nice to have some before the season starts here but best to wait until they’re available locally.
If you have an excess of berries, or want a delicious topping for desserts, this blueberry compote is a great way to use them. It freezes well and can be made while the berries are available and tucked away for winter. Serve over pancakes, waffles, or anything you think you’d like with blueberries.
You need just a handful of ingredients for this recipe. It’s sweetened with maple syrup or honey and has a slightly more rounded flavour than might be typical in a compote, but it’s very good.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Blueberries: use fresh and frozen, wild and cultivated berries interchangeably. With frozen you may need to cook slightly longer if there’s a lot of liquid in the pot.
- Maple syrup or honey: sugar can be used in a pinch to replace the liquid sweetener. The recipe calls for minimal sweetness so you may want to increase slightly to your taste.
Step by Step
Step 1: add all ingredients to a small saucepan.
Step 2: cook, covered, for about ten minutes and use immediately or store for later.
Recipe Notes
Vanilla and cinnamon are both delicious additions if you want to make things a bit more interesting. It depends on how you plan to use your compote, but spices can certainly be added.
Try adding the zest from the lemons you’re juicing for a brighter citrus hint. As always, don’t over-zest or you’ll have a bitter taste from the pith (the white of the lemon rind).
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Freezing: transfer cooled compote to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
More Blueberry Recipes
Blueberry Almond Muffins
Blueberry Peanut Butter Smoothie
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Lemon Blueberry Popsicles
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Blueberry Compote
Description
Ingredients
- 250 grams (9 oz) blueberries fresh or frozen
- Juice of a lemon ~3 tablespoons
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the blueberries, lemon juice, and honey to a small saucepan.250 grams (9 oz) blueberries, Juice of a lemon, 1-2 tablespoons honey
- Cover and heat over medium, until simmering. Simmer the compote for about 10 minutes, or until the berries are starting to break down.
- Taste and sweeten if needed. Serve warm or cold.
- The compote will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week and freezes well.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.