This traditional Polish Dried Fruit Compote Recipe is quick and easy to make, low in sugar and full of flavour! It is a delicious beverage enjoyed as part of Polish Christmas Eve dinner celebration.
Polish Christmas Eve recipe
Christmas Eve in Poland is celebrated with a completely different menu than Christmas Day (I suspect this is true for other countries too). According to tradition the Christmas Eve meal should consist of 12 dishes (thankfully side dishes and beverages count too!)! In my early days of cooking I took this custom very literally but I’ve embraced a less stressful approach since and stopped counting. Some dishes have been dropped but the one recipe I always make is the traditional Polish Dried Fruit Compote Recipe (kompot wigilijny).
Dried fruit compote recipe
Polish Christmas Eve fruit compote recipe usually consists of dried apples, pears and prunes (plus other varieties of dried fruit, though less often). However, I make mine using prunes only. For me prunes have a very intense and delicious flavour and the other fruit are just not needed. My recipe is simple, full of festive aromatic spices, citrus notes, and low in sugar.
Healthy fruit compote recipe
Prunes are famous for their high nutritional content, including a fair amount of iron and fibre. This I suspect is the reason why this healthy compote is served on Christmas Eve, when a good proportion of the other 11 dishes is made using wild mushrooms and sauerkraut! Prunes help the digestive system cope with all this rich food and allow the fine tradition of overindulgence to continue. (Personal theory, but not completely unfounded I think:)
How to serve this fruit compote
This aromatic, easy compote can be served hot or cold, with or without the fruit. (These can later be added separately to yogurt, granola, morning porridge or smoothies). I like my compote clear and cold and sip it throughout the Christmas Eve meal instead of wine. If I’ve got any leftover compote I drink a glass if I crave something sweet (instead of reaching for another mince pie).
Be kind to your digestive system this Christmas (even if you are not planning on eating wild mushrooms or sauerkraut!) and make this healthy dried fruit compote! And don’t forget to let me know how it turned out!
If you like this dried fruit compote you might also like this Polish Gingerbread Loaf Cake (Piernik) Recipe.
This Polish Dried Fruit Compote Recipe (Christmas) is a delicious drink served as part of traditional Polish Christmas Eve celebrations.
- 500 g prunes pitted
- 1 and 1/4 l water
- 6 cloves
- 1 short cinnamon stick
- Fresh ginger about 1.5 cm long, peeled - not traditional, but works well!
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and allspice
- Small piece of lemon and orange rind
- 1 level tablespoon sugar
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Place all the ingredients in a large pot, cover and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Separate the fruit from the liquid. This is optional and you can serve the compote using a ladle or transfer it into a jug.
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Recipe Link Parties
I am sharing this recipe with Gluten Free Fridays, Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays.
I love the idea of traditional Christmas eve food. I don’t think I have any (unless of course you count getting the bigger chocolate in the advent calendar 🙂 ). I think I might have to start my own traditions (although probably not 12 dishes!).
I know 12 dishes is a bit much (I never actually make 12!) but I love all the traditional dishes and don’t really mind making them as it’s only once a year after all! I’ll be starting the cooking next Wednesday:)
I really enjoy seeing and reading about traditional recipes from other countries. I would probably add different fruit like you suggested. Thanks for sharing your compote with Fiesta Friday 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll be posting more Polish traditional recipes in the next 2 weeks:)
oooh this sounds lovely, the Peachicks like prunes so definitely have to give this a go!
Thanks! So glad you like it:)
This is calling my name – I adore prunes! It reminds me of a similar dish my Gran used to make for me if I was sick, although she used fewer spices, and served it with rice pudding.
This is definitely one to make!
Thanks! Rice pudding with prune compote sounds great! I am actually tempted to make it as I’ve got some compote leftover today. My youngest son adores prunes (why do people think prunes are only liked by old folks?) and rice pudding, so might make it as an after school treat for him:)
So funny you should say that about old folk and prunes – when I was at school, and prunes were on the menu, my classmates would often turn their noses up, saying they were old people food!
Maybe it’s something to do with sluggish digestive systems?
Prunes seem to be more mainstream here in former Yugo countries than in Britain. And they’re really cheap too!
Lovely to read that your son loves them too, and rice pudding – he is clearly a young man of impeccable taste!
Prunes are really cheap in Poland too. As for my son, not sure about impeccable taste, but he does have his moments…:)
This looks lovely Monika. I really like compote but I usually have it for breakfast. Thanks for adding to #CookBlogShare
Thanks Mandy! I have this for breakfast too, if there is any leftover from the previous night’s feast:)