This recipe gives the traditional Austrian sweet side a healthy spin. The Healthy Plum Compote comes without refined sugar but all the flavour, thanks to warming spices like cinnamon, clove, and vanilla. The best part? It only takes 20 minutes to prepare this balanced sidekick.
Falling for fall fruits
Although today marks the beginning of fall in the calendar, I am still not over Summer. Because like every year, my favourite season passes by too fast. But what I like about fall is the seasonal produce and all the delicious dishes I can create with them.
Opening the fall produce parade on the blog with plums. A stone fruit, I am always excited about when the colder season rolls around. It is also a very traditional fruit here in Austria and turned into cake, juice and this plum compote.
Healthy Plum Compote (Zwetschkenröster)
Plum compote is sweet, tangy and, unlike jam, has little chunks of fruit still in there. Classic Austrian dishes like Topfenknödel (curd dumplings) or Viennese Kaiserschmarren (sliced thick pancake) would not be complete with a side of plum compote. Or as we like to say in german Zwetschkenröster.
I always have my strongest memories with food, and I remember helping my grandma make dumplings and other doughy sweets as a child to serve with the traditional compote. It always fascinated me how she turned simple ingredients into uber delicious dishes. I learned from an early age that the quality of the ingredients is key to getting the best result when cooking or baking. So it is always good to choose the fruits and vegetables in season right now and buy local if you can.
How to make plum compote healthier
While I like the taste of this sweet side, I don't like the amount of sugar the traditional recipe calls for. When it comes to sugar, plum compote is a heavy hitter. So I was experimenting in the kitchen to make my own balanced version.
By skipping the refined sugar and replacing it with just a little agave syrup has the same effect, and it does not make the compote overly sweet. This way, you can better taste the fresh plums cooked to perfection. Also, use riper fruits if you like the compote to be sweeter. The natural fruit sugar will do its part. Warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla take care of the rest, and I promise you won’t miss the refined sugar after trying this flavourful version of the traditional sweet side.
Scroll down for the easy and quick recipe to prepare your own Healthy Plum Compote in just 20 minutes.
What to eat with this fruity sidekick
I already mentioned the traditional Austrian dishes served with plum compote, like Topfenknödel and Kaiserschmarren. But these sugary heavy hitters are not the only dishes going well with it.
There are also much more balanced treats to eat this Here are a few ideas to eat with this delicious compote:
Healthy Plum Compote (Zwetschkenröster)
Ingredients
- 500 g plums
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
Instructions
- Wash the plums, cut them in half and remove the pits. Then cut each half crosswise to have quarters.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Put in plums along with the cinnamon, clove, agave syrup and vanilla extract. Add 2 tablespoon of water and stir. (Skip the water if you want the compote to be even thicker.)
- Cook the compote over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the plums are soft and the compote thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Take off the heat and serve.
Notes
- It is as delicious served warm or cold, as you like.
- The plum compote will get thicker when it is cold.
- Serving ideas: yoghurt & granola, oatmeal, chia seed pudding and other balanced breakfast and sweet treats to enjoy this delicious fall fruit.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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