Is there a drink in cooking, which can be called universal for adults and children, which would quickly prepare, while it was useful for the body and had a bright pleasant taste? Yes! And this is a compote of dried apricots and prunes, the recipe of which we will discuss today. The drink will be relevant at any time of the year. In the summer it will refresh, fill with strength, help to overcome the feeling of thirst. And in winter, dried fruit compote will make up for the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body, strengthen and enhance immunity.
Nuances and secrets of cooking
Of course, there is no special or special cooking technique, a secret recipe for compote from dried apricots and prunes. But there are some nuances that simplify the cooking process and make the final product more healthy and tasty.
- For extra sweetness, you can put honey or sugar. It is important to remember that if there are already several spoons of sugar in the compote, then honey will be superfluous, and vice versa.
- If you want to get a more aromatic drink, then add pears. For greater benefit, we recommend putting the rose hip. For natural sweetness - cherries or raisins.
- If apples or pears are added to the drink, they are put into the water much earlier than prunes or dried apricots.
- For a greater flavor, you can use nutmeg, cinnamon or cloves.
- For extra flavor, put citric acid or frozen berries in a compote.
Too many novice housewives think that the compote will turn out tastier and richer if you cook it quickly and over high heat. Yes, and time seems to take less. This is actually not the case. The correct recipe for dried apricots and prunes compote involves a slow fire during cooking and a long process of infusing the drink for several hours. So dried fruits will not lose their beneficial properties and qualities.
List of Essential Ingredients
Prepare the following components:
- litere of water;
- 160 g dried apricots;
- 160 g of prunes;
- 40 g of granulated sugar;
- spices - optional.
Preparation of dishes and products
Before you cook the compote from dried apricots and prunes, you need to properly prepare the ingredients. Any dried fruit needs a thorough soul. Rinse them under running water several times. If it seems that the dried fruits are slightly hard (or not slightly), then fill them with hot water and let stand for 10 minutes. After the water is drained, prunes and dried apricots are recommended to be washed again.
As for the dishes, it is better to cook compote with prunes, dried apricots and raisins in a voluminous enameled pan with a thick bottom. Rinse well before cooking. We measure and prepare in advance spices with seasonings, as well as sugar and additional ingredients (raisins, honey, pears, apples or frozen berries).
Description of the cooking process
After all the ingredients have been prepared, and the pan is washed and filled with water, you can start cooking. Put the container on fire, spread the ingredients and bring to a boil. After that we reduce the gas, add sugar and spices, cook for 15 minutes. A couple of times it is recommended to stir the compote to check how sugar has dissolved. After 15 minutes, turn off the fire. At this point, you can add cinnamon or mint leaves. We leave the compote to insist for 2-3 hours.
Stewed apricots and raisins
For the recipe you will need the following:
- 2.4 liters of water;
- 180 g dried apricots;
- 170 g of raisins;
- 2 tablespoons of honey;
- ground cinnamon.
Stewed prunes and apples
For this recipe you will need:
- two large fresh apples;
- 240 g of prunes;
- 180 g of sugar;
- 2 liters of water.
Stewed rose hips, dried apricots and prunes
And here is another tasty healthy option. For compote you will need the following:
- 280 g of prunes;
- two and a half liters of water;
- 250 g dried apricots;
- 60 g of wild rose;
- two tablespoons of honey.
Compote recipe for dried apricots, prunes and raisins with oranges
Be sure to try making compote according to this recipe:
- 7 large oranges;
- 4 glasses of water;
- 180 g of raisins;
- 250 g of prunes;
- 270 g dried apricots;
- 4 tablespoons of sugar.
Extra fruits and berries
These components will make your compote even tastier:
- Strawberry;
- raisins;
- pears
- oranges
- apples
- rosehip;
- Blueberries
- blueberry;
- grapes;
- cherry;
- figs;
- dates;
- raspberries;
- lemons.
The benefits of prunes and dried apricots
Before you cook compote from prunes and dried apricots to a child or yourself, you should decide if it will be useful for your body. This drink has a huge number of positive qualities, but there are also some disadvantages - contraindications.
First, let's talk about the benefits. Due to the content of prunes in the compote, the drink becomes incredibly useful for those who suffer from constipation or want to cleanse their body of toxins. Prunes are incredibly beneficial for women, especially pregnant women, especially those who suffer from problems with the bladder and bile ducts. In addition, this type of dried fruit is rich in magnesium and calcium, which helps fight heart diseases.
Orange fruits of dried apricots, adjacent to compote with prunes, are no less useful. They help improve bowel function, eliminate and minimize heart problems, increase hemoglobin levels. Pregnant dried apricots will help get rid of kidney problems, as well as remove excess fluid.
Now let's talk about the benefits of additional ingredients that are found in the compote recipes for dried apricots and prunes. For example, dried apples are rich in iron. They help protect the body from the negative effects of bad ecology and the environment. Dates help relieve fatigue and accelerate the work of all organs and systems. Lemons and oranges strengthen immunity, and also positively affect vision. Figs improves the cardiovascular system, relieves inflammation, and strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of colds. Dried cherries added to compote will help in the treatment of anemia and heart disease, in obesity and tumors.
Harm and contraindications
Despite the fact that compote made from prunes and dried apricots has many useful qualities, the drink can do much harm.
- It is not recommended to use it for those who suffer from stomach diseases and digestive disorders. It is important to remember that the prune included in the compote has a laxative effect.
- If you follow a strict diet, then compotes from dried fruits are undesirable. They are quite high in calories and can increase appetite.
- Sometimes the products included in the compote can cause allergic reactions. This is especially true for young children. Before introducing such a drink into the diet, you should consult your doctor.