Spoonfuls of flavour await in our saucy segment that’s all about coulis and compotes.  

Compote 

This is the term used to describe a delicious chunky sauce made using chopped or whole pieces of fruit. The fruit is added to a pot along with sugar and simmered gently until it breaks down into a pulpy, luscious sauce. Fruit makes for a perfect main component as the flavourful juices released cook down into a syrup, and the knobs of fruit soften into pearls of tang. The sugar acts as a sweetener as well as a preservative, giving this sauce a shelf life of a few weeks. 

Coulis 

Coulis refers to a sauce made up of fruits or vegetables that have been puréed and strained through a fine mesh sieve, sometimes multiple times, as a way to remove any unwanted bits or residue. Different to a compote, coulis doesn’t necessarily need to be cooked prior to blending and straining. It still contains a vibrant colour with pops of flavour, but is silky smooth in texture as a result of the straining process. 

Jam 

A pantry staple, the fruits in jams are cooked down for longer than compotes to release the pectin within the fruit. This pectin acts as a stabiliser, setting the mixture slightly as it cools, making it slightly springy. Jam can easily be spread over breads or desserts, whereas compotes are too thin to evenly layer without seeping into the vessel like cakes or scones.  

Storing cooked fruit preserves 

Lengthen the shelf life of your preserved fruit by storing them in sterilised jars until needed. This also works well if you’re planning on gifting compote to friends or family. 

How to sterilise old glass jars: 

– Soak lids and jars in hot, soapy water for 5 minutes, then wash and rinse.
– Place on a baking tray in a preheated oven (140°C) until dry, about 5 minutes, then carefully remove jars and place on a wooden board. 
– Note that if your lids have rubber seals, you cannot place them in the oven as they will tarnish. Instead, add lids to a separate pot of simmering water for 5 minutes, then air dry.
– Pour warm compote into the jars, pressing down with your spoon to remove any air bubbles.
– Seal and set aside to cool completely before refrigerating.
– The heat will create a vacuum and seal the lid tightly. Left unopened, your compote can last up to 1 month in the fridge. 

Words by: Sjaan van der Ploeg 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

The post Compotes vs coulis: What’s the difference?  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Our labneh cheesecake is proof that dessert can be good for you! And in case you were wondering, labneh is simply yoghurt that has been strained, removing the whey to make it thicker and creamier, perfect for baking!

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 60 min, plus 24 hours for the labneh to stand

INGREDIENTS
For the labneh
1L low-fat yoghurt (makes 500g)
For the crust
⅔ cup ground almonds
⅔ cup desiccated coconut
3 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp chopped peanuts
For the compote
2 oranges, peeled and segmented, plus a few slices to decorate
1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1 tbsp honey
½ vanilla pod, seeds removed
For the filling
500g labneh
3 eggs, beaten
¼ cup icing sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 orange or lemon

METHOD
For the labneh
1. Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or a clean dish cloth and place over a bowl. Pour the yoghurt into the sieve and leave to stand for 24 hours to allow the excess water to drain out. The labneh should be the consistency of cream cheese.
For the crust
1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 20 cm cake tin.
2. Mix the almonds and coconut in a bowl. Melt the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds, then mix it in. Add the peanuts and a few tablespoons of water, and combine.
3. Spread over the base of the cake tin. Bake for 5–8 minutes, until just set.
For the compote
1. Place the oranges and grapefruit in a bowl. Squeeze the remaining juice from the pith over them.
2. Bring 2 tbsp water to the boil in a small pot. Add the honey and vanilla and cook for 1 minute. Add the fruit, remove from the heat and let cool.
For the filling
1. Reduce oven to 170°C.
2. Mix the labneh, eggs, icing sugar, cornflour, vanilla, citrus zest and juice. Pour into the cake tin and spread evenly over the crust.
3. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until just slightly puffed up and set.
4. Remove the cheesecake and allow to cool. Top with the citrus compote and serve.

The post Labneh cheesecake with peanut crust and citrus compote appeared first on MyKitchen.

We are all about getting a solid brekkie, and for us that includes plenty of fibre and vitamin B-filled wholegrains. We created this moreish barley pudding with a fruity zing to help get you going in the morning.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the barley pudding
2 cups milk
1 cup hulled barley
1½ cups water
2 tbsp honey or sugar
For the berry compote
1 cup frozen mixed berries
½ cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
Coconut flakes, toasted, to serve

METHOD
1. Place milk, barley, water and honey or sugar in a pot. Bring to the boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 50 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and barley is tender.
3. Place the compote ingredients in a pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the water is gone and the berries are starting to disintegrate.
4. Serve the barley pudding with compote and garnish with coconut flakes.

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There is such a wonderful abundance of fruit on our supermarket shelves, come this time of year! Because all of these delightful offerings are in season, your favourite summer fruits are much cheaper now than they will be in the wintery months. We suggest you make the most of it!

1. JAM: Blend 1 kg fruit with 1 kg sugar and the juice of 1 lemon. Boil for 5–10 minutes, then seal the hot jam in sterilised jars.
2. DRIED FRUIT: Slice fruit (and remove any seeds or pips) then spread out on baking trays. Place in an oven at a low heat for several hours until dried out. Store in airtight containers, or freeze for longer periods.
3. COMPOTE: Bring 500g fruit to the boil with 50g sugar and 2–3 tbsp water (or lemon juice, if you like it tart). Simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the fruit is cooked but still holds its shape. Leave to cool, then freeze for up to 3 months. This works best with berries.
4. BOOZY INFUSIONS: Mix fruit with sugar and alcohol (cherries and brandy, litchis and vodka, peaches and gin work well) and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months to infuse. The fruit makes a great dessert topping!
5. SMOOTHIES: Chop and freeze berries, mangoes or nectarines. Later, whip up a smoothie for an instant taste of summer in the cooler months.
6. ICE LOLLIES: Blend and freeze fruit for traditional lollies, or freeze whole pieces of soft fruit in water. Great for moist fruit such as watermelon and litchis.

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