Winter fruit compotes are a must for holiday tables; they’re quite versatile, too, since they go well with ham or turkey as an accompaniment or are delicious as a dessert sauce over ice cream or pound cake. Elegant Brandied Fruit Compote is a cut above most fruit compotes; not only is it attractive, but it isn’t too sweet and has the subtle flavor of orange and brandy as well as the winter fruits.

Elegant Brandied Fruit Compote is made in the slow cooker, eliminating the need to spend time stirring a pot on the stove. If time is short, this fruit compote can be made ahead and reheated. It’s especially good served warm over a scoop of ice cream.

12 Servings

4 cups fresh cranberries
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
2 Gala apples, or other cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
2 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried pineapples, or a mixture of pineapple, papaya, and mango
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 medium orange

1/2 cup Grand Marnier
3 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Measure the cranberries, apple and pear chunks, dried cherries, golden raisins, pineapple, and ginger into the crock of a 3-4 quart slow cooker; stir.
2. Zest the peel from the orange and sprinkle it over the mixture.
3. Squeeze the juice from the orange into a measuring cup with the Grand Marnier; stir in the cornstarch until smooth.
4. Stir the mixture into the fruit.
5. Cover the slow cooker, set to low, and let cook 4-6 hours or until the fruit is soft and the mixture is thick.
6. Serve warm.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 186 Calories from Fat 5
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 3% Protein 2% Carb. 95%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 44 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 42% Calcium 0% Iron 9%