TOP 9 recipes for making dogwood and apple compote for the winter

Fresh dogwood and apple compote is a delicious drink that will delight both adults and children. Apples and dogwoods are known to be among the highest-quality fruits in terms of vitamin and natural micronutrient content. Even when cooked, they retain a wealth of beneficial properties. This vitamin-packed drink is a must-have for any home cook, even if you don't have your own garden or vegetable patch.

Specifics of preparing apple and dogwood compote

A drink made from dogwood and apples is not only delicious but also beneficial for the body. It contains:

• vitamin C;
• potassium;
• phytoncides;
• magnesium.

It helps lower blood pressure, improve immune function, boost metabolism, and eliminate waste and toxins. It quickly invigorates the body. However, it is recommended to drink acidic drinks not in the morning, but in the afternoon or evening, preferably not on an empty stomach, but after eating.

Selecting and preparing fruits and berries

Dogwood berries should be selected with particular care. Only ripe, but never overripe, berries should be used. Hard ones simply won't release their juice, and the compote will taste like watered-down jam, while very soft ones will simply turn to mush.

Although dogwood is a slightly tart berry, it's less noticeable with sugar. The compote is refreshing, delicious, and summery. It can also be used to soak sponge cake layers and to make drinks, including a traditional mulled wine.

First, the berries are cleaned and suitable ones are selected. The stems are removed. They are washed under warm water, but not hot (otherwise the skins may burst). The pits are left in place.

Sterilizing containers for canning

Canning jars are sterilized in the standard way. Housewives often don't understand how to quickly prepare a three-liter jar. In fact, with just a regular oven, you can sterilize 4-6 or even more jars at once. Some can be placed in the oven at 110-120 degrees Celsius, while others can be placed over the neck of a boiling kettle.

Sterilization must take place for at least 10 minutes.

Delicious recipes for the winter

One of the recipes you like is taken as a basis.

Classic cooking method

You can prepare a delicious drink from the following ingredients:

• 300 grams of dogwood;
• 200 grams of apples;
• 2 liters of clean water;
• 250-300 grams of sugar (proportions may vary depending on the acidity of the berry).

Pour water into an enamel bowl and bring to a boil. Add the chopped berries and sugar. Stirring and skimming off any foam, cook for 6 minutes. During this time, the dogwood should soften and release its juices, and the mixture should turn slightly pink. It is essential to let it sit for about 6 hours, but even a day would be better.

This drink isn't sterilized, so it can't be sealed. Sealing it with iron lids requires a different approach.

Please note that aluminum utensils should not be used for boiling or steeping. Dogwood is highly acidic, and this acid will react with aluminum, making the drink unsuitable for consumption.

A simple recipe without sterilization

For a regular three-liter jar you will need:

• 2 cups dogwood;
• 2 cups of apples
• 2 cups of sugar;
• water.

Bring the water to a boil, place the dogwood and chopped apples in the bottom of the jar. Fill the jars to the top with water and let sit for 20 minutes. Pour the water back into the jars, bring to a boil again, and repeat the process twice more. The final time, add all the sugar to the water, which has now turned pink. Fill the jars and quickly seal.

You need to turn it over, cover it with something warm and leave it in the kitchen until it cools completely.

Berry in syrup

This drink will have a richer flavor, and it can even be diluted with water without losing its flavor. You'll need:

• 300 grams of dogwood;
• 2 apples;
• 1 liter of water;
• 200 grams of sugar.

Place the dogwood in a jar (300 grams per liter, or 900 grams per kilogram for a three-liter jar). Cut up one apple. Fill with water to the very top, pour it into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Pour the water over the berries and let it simmer for half an hour. Pour the water into the container, add the sugar, and simmer until it dissolves completely. Pour the water over the berries, immediately seal, wrap in something warm, and turn the jar upside down.

Recipe for a multicooker

Compote prepared in a slow cooker has a richer flavor. The recipe is quite simple, and the preparation time is also reduced. It's best to use slightly dried dogwood, but regular dogwood will do just fine. You'll need:

• 1 cup of berries;
• 2 apples;
• 200 grams of sugar.

Place all ingredients in the bottom of the multicooker. Set the cooker to "Stewing" mode for 1 hour. You can also select "Slow Cooker" mode for 2 hours to enhance the flavor. Do not open the cooker immediately after the beep indicates the end of cooking. Let the compote steep for at least 4 hours.

Sugar free

You can make sugar-free compote using a completely classic recipe. But its unique feature is that stevia is added instead of sugar. It's a hundred times sweeter, so the dosage must be carefully adjusted. The preparation procedure is as follows:

• pour berries into the bottom of a three-liter jar;
• chop the apples finely;
• pour boiling water over;
• leave for an hour to soak in the aroma;
• drain the water into the enamel container again;
• bring to a boil;
• fill again;
• stir stevia into a small amount of water;
• pour into a container;
• wait half an hour.

Sugar acts as a preservative in recipes. Therefore, when replacing it with stevia, you'll need to additionally sterilize the container. You'll need to heat the jars in steam or in water on a saucer for at least 10 minutes.

With raspberries

To prepare raspberry compote, you will need:

• 300 grams of dogwood;
• 200 grams of raspberries;
• 250 grams of sugar.

First, the raspberries and apples are covered with sugar and left for three hours to release their juices. During this time, the dogwood is soaked three times with water (as per the standard recipe). The raspberries are added for the third time, and the jars are immediately sealed.

Making dried dogwood compote

The algorithm for preparing compote from dried berries is as follows:

• put dogwood on the bottom (fill a 3-liter jar a quarter full);
• add boiling water;
• let stand for an hour;
• drain and bring to a boil;
• repeat the procedure;
• make syrup;
• pour over the berries;
• roll up quickly.

In any case, the dogwood used for the recipe should not be older than six months.

Concentrated compote

The process for preparing the concentrate is no different from the classic method. However, for a three-liter jar, you'll need:

• 1 kg dogwood;
• 1 kg of apples;
• 700 grams of sugar.

To make a more concentrated mixture, prick each red berry. Slice the apples in tonic water to release more flavor (tart varieties with green or yellow skins are best).

Place all ingredients in the bottom of the container and pour boiling water over them. Allow to cool completely and then reheat. Add sugar to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. It's best to dilute the dogwood compote with water before drinking it, as it's quite heavy on the stomach.

With citric acid

Lemon juice will prevent the mixture from going to waste. It's added at the very end, after the liquid has boiled for the last time.

Storage times and methods for compote

Cornelian cherry compote with apples can be stored for up to 2 years. Be sure to store it in a cool, dark place.