Summer Fruit Compote

Any mixture of fruit can be used for this, but remember the flavour of blackcurrants does tend to dominate – so, if you're using them, just use a half-quantity compared with the other fruits. If you want to make the compote entirely with soft berries, it needs only 10 minutes in the oven.

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This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Summer Collection.

Method

First prepare the fruit. Halve each peach by making a slit all round through the natural crease, then simply twist in half and remove the stone. Cut the halves into three pieces each and place them in the baking dish. After that, do the same with the apricots and, if they're large, slice the halves into two; if they're small, leave the halves whole. Repeat this with the plums, but if they're clinging too tightly to their stones you may find it easier to slice them into quarters on the stone and pull each quarter off.

Add the apricots and plums to the peaches in the dish, followed by the blueberries. Now sprinkle the sugar over them, place the dish in the centre of the oven and let the fruits bake (without covering) for 25-30 minutes or until they are tender when tested with a skewer and the juices have run. Then remove them from the oven and gently stir in the raspberries, tipping the dish and basting them with the hot juices. Taste to check the sugar and add more if you think it needs it, then cool the compote and chill in the fridge. Serve with crème fraîche, or this is wonderful with Blackcurrant Ice Cream or Gooseberry and Elderflower Ice Cream.