You can grab a piece of summer in winter with the help of preparations. The variety of vegetables and fruits grown on the plots, with simple preparations, is perfectly prepared for the winter. Housewives also make compotes from plums and apples. Even a person ignorant in this area can cope with the recipes. Anyone can prepare a drink while maintaining maximum benefits and taste.
Cooking features
To properly prepare compote according to recipes, you should familiarize yourself with certain rules and requirements.Their implementation guarantees a long shelf life of the compote, the preservation of the vitamin complex included in the fruit, the taste and aroma of the fruit:
- If small apples are canned, leave them whole.
- All fruits are peeled and cored. There are exceptions to this rule. Some varieties cannot be preserved with skins. Large specimens are divided into 8 parts, smaller ones into 4.
- To preserve the structure, before cooking, soak the fruit pieces in a slightly acidic or slightly salted solution for 30 minutes.
- To preserve volume and color, apples are blanched. And the liquid remaining after this procedure is used to prepare the filling.
- To preserve vitamins, fruits are dipped in water to which citric acid has already been added.
- The less time the preparation boils, the more benefits will remain in the finished drink.
Over time, when the housewife has been preparing compote for several years, she will develop her own rules for preparing the drink for the winter.
Which plums and apples to choose for compote
Properly selected fruits will make the drink tasty, beautiful and healthy. To do this, you must follow several selection rules:
- Apples for this type of drink are selected from fresh hard and sour varieties. Preferably not overripe and of the same variety.
- All possible damage to the fruit is excluded, only whole and healthy apples and plums.
- It is important to properly sort the fruits before using them for compote.
- Any type of plum is suitable, if it is sour, add a little more sugar. The use of prunes is also possible.
- It is better if one of the main ingredients is sour, the second is sweet. This will create a certain contrast of tastes.
If you meet these requirements, you will get an excellent compote for consumption or canning in the winter.
How to prepare apple and plum compote for the winter
To prepare the drink correctly, you should carefully study the recipe. Perform all necessary actions and strictly follow the recipe.
Method 1
Preparing a sweet drink for the winter is not at all difficult. For this you will need: 7 plums, 2 apples, 0.2 kg of sugar.
First you need to prepare the container. It is advisable to use liter jars. Wash, sterilize and dry them well. Place cleanly washed plums in them. Pour boiling water, close the lid tightly and leave for 15 minutes.
Divide the apples into 4 equal parts. Cut out the core, it is better to leave the skin. Cut into thin slices.
Drain the liquid from the jar into a container, leaving the plums aside. Add apples and sugar to the water. Bring to a boil, cook for 5-7 minutes. After the mixture is ready, add it to the plums and roll up.
It is advisable to wrap it well and leave it to cool completely at room temperature.
Method 2
Compote is prepared in a 3-liter saucepan. For it you will need: 5-6 plums, 3-4 apples, 2.5 liters of water and sugar to taste (about 100-150 g), citric acid to taste.
Remove the pits from the plums, core the apples, and chop everything. Boil water in a saucepan, add all ingredients. Boil for 3 minutes. Adjust sweetness and acidity to taste by adding citric acid or sugar. Remove from heat and let steep until completely cool. The compote is ready to eat.
The drink is easy to make and has a lot of benefits. Especially for those who cannot eat these fruits fresh. You can use it immediately, or leave some and roll up some.
How to store
The length of shelf life depends on the correct preparation of the compote. It is better to store it in a special room. Storage temperature from 0 to +20 ⁰С.
At sub-zero temperatures, the drink freezes and spoils.
Relative air humidity is not more than 80%. The shelf life of compote to which citric acid is added is 12 months. Other compotes are stored for up to 2 years.
Plum is rich in vitamins, it helps remove cholesterol, has a diuretic effect and removes excess salt and water, and this is not the entire list of properties of the fruit. Apples are rich in iron and other beneficial substances. Their combination makes it possible to stock up on vitamins for a long period of the cold season. The preparation is easy to make, and the taste will appeal to many gourmets. Including children.
