Cinnamon infused cherry compote

Is it a compote or a fridge jam? Well a bit of both really. But what I’m certain of is that it’s an easy recipe, a gateway to dessert heaven and eeks out my cherry supply just that little bit longer. I’m not good at letting go.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how you can make the most of a good compote, but here’s some inspiration just in case…

• Stir into Greek yoghurt and top with granola
• Thickly spread some crusty bread with soft goats cheese and then a layer of compote
• Warm it up a bit and then pour over ice cream and dust with grated dark chocolate
• Spoon onto freshly flipped pancakes
• Spread a layer in the middle of a chocolate fudge cake
• I think I better stop as I’m making myself dribble…

If you’ve got end of term gifts to make then this could be a lovely pressie for a hard working teacher.

Cinnamon is a natural flavour companion to cherries, so I opted for using an infused sugar. You can make them yourself by sticking a cinnamon stick into a jar of sugar, but they’re also easy to get hold of at the supermarket. Sainsbury’s recently sent me their Taste The Difference range to try and I have to say it was perfect for this recipe.

This is really a very simple recipe, the only faff is de-stoning the cherries. I did find it quite soothing prepping the fruit in front of Mad Men however…

Cherry compote
Makes 1 small jar

250g cherries, halved and pitted
125g cinnamon infused sugar
100ml orange juice

1. Clean a jam jar and lid with hot soapy water and allow to air dry. Or run through a hot cycle in a dishwasher.

2. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes and the fruit is nicely soft but still in tact.

3. Using a slotted spoon take out the cherries and put them into the jar. Turn up the heat under the remaining liquid and bubble away until it is thick and syrupy – this should take about 10-15 mins. Keep an eye on it in case it starts catching or smelling burnt!

4. Let the froth calm down and then pour over the cherries in the jar, seal and cool then label and store in the fridge. It’ll keep for a few weeks if you can stop yourself from eating it before then!

Tip: Add a generous splash of Kirsch to your recipe for a grown up version