winter fruit compote

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking temperature low

Cooking time 2½–3½ hours

Serves 4

300 g (10 oz) cranberries

500 g (1 lb) red plums, quartered and stoned

200 g (7 oz) red seedless grapes, halved

4 teaspoons cornflour

300 ml (½ pint) red grape juice

100 g (3½ oz) caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick, halved

pared rind of 1 small orange

Lemon curd cream

150 ml (½ pint) double cream, lightly whipped

3 tablespoons lemon curd

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s instructions. Put the cranberries, plums and grapes into the slow cooker pot.

Mix the cornflour with a little of the grape juice in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the remaining juice. Pour into the slow cooker pot and add the sugar, cinnamon and orange rind. Stir together, then cover with the lid and cook on low for 2½–3½ hours or until the fruit is tender.

Stir, discard the cinnamon and orange rind and serve warm or cold spooned into bowls and topped with the cream folded into the lemon curd.

For orchard fruit compote, follow the recipe as above, but replace the cranberries and grapes with 2 pears and 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced.