German cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Plum Compote

Plum halves gently simmered with a cinnamon stick, cloves and a splash of red wine until dark and glossy.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.5 kg plums
• 150 g sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 organic lemon
• 100 ml red wine
• 1 star anise
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Wash the plums, halve and pit them; wash the lemon in hot water, peel off the zest in two wide strips and squeeze the juice.
2. Mix the plum halves with the sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a bowl and let them release their juice covered for 20 min.
3. Bring the red wine to a boil in a wide pot with the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, lemon zest and the pinch of salt, and reduce uncovered for 3 min. until the alcohol has cooked off.
4. Add the plums with their released juice and simmer uncovered over low heat for 12–15 min., swirling gently so the halves don't break apart.
5. Once the syrup coats the ladle, remove the pot from the heat and fish out the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and lemon zest.
6. Let the compote cool, season with the remaining lemon juice and serve cold with rice pudding, semolina pudding or vanilla ice cream.