August and September are the perfect time for homemade preserves using seasonal berries and fruits. One of the most delicious and healthy cocktails is compote made from apples and grapes. These two simple ingredients grow in every garden plot and are affordable. Preserving compote doesn't take much time, as preparing the drink is pure pleasure even for a novice cook.
Recommendations before you start preparing apple-grape compote
Before you start preparing, consider these simple recommendations:
- There are many varieties of fruit and berries. Therefore, by experimenting with different grapes and apples, you can create a new flavor for your infusion.
- The drink is prepared from berry clusters and whole apples, sliced fruits and grapes, both with and without seeds.
- Non-aromatic varieties are complemented with rich berries, fruits, and aromatic herbs.
- Preparing the cocktail requires adherence to preservation regulations and the sterility of the raw materials. Containers are treated with a soda solution, rinsed, and sterilized over steam, in a microwave, or in a roasting pan. Metal lids are heat-treated in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Fruit is washed in a soapy solution and baking soda.
- Some recipes require mandatory sterilization. This involves steaming the jars in a saucepan. The bottom of the jar is covered with several layers of cloth or a wooden board. Water is poured into the jar and brought to a boil. The canning process is continued at a minimum boil for 30-50 minutes, depending on the size of the jars. Only then are the bottles sealed with a special sealer.
How to choose apples for compote
When choosing fruits for compote, it is worth considering:
- Any variety of apples is suitable for this drink. However, it's best to choose the following varieties:
- Saffron pepin;
- Antonovka;
- Fetch;
- Lemon;
- Boyken.
- Only juicy, ripe apples are suitable. A drink made from unripe fruit will be sour and have an unpleasant aftertaste. Overripe fruit will overcook during preparation, resulting in a cloudy infusion.
- It is better not to use bruised, soft, or wormy specimens in compote, but to leave them for jam.

Preparatory process
Once you have decided on the right fruits, you need to process them correctly:
- Remove only the tough skin from the apples. Do not peel young fruits.
- Cut out the core with seeds, the “tail”, and the attachment point.
- Use whole small apples for the compote; large ones should be cut in half, sliced, wedged, or sliced.
- Blanch the fruit by dipping it in hot water at 85-90 degrees, and then transferring it into cold liquid with ice cubes.
- To prevent the fruit from darkening, place it in a salted solution for 15-20 minutes (10 grams of salt per 1 liter of water).
- The more sour the apples are, the less time they will need to be sterilized.

Preparing grapes
Select only ripe grapes for canning. The berries should not be rotted or damaged. Remove any spoiled grapes from the bunches.
Before preserving, grapes are prepared as follows:
- Soak whole bunches of small berries in cold water for 30-40 minutes.
- Place the berries in a colander and rinse with running water.
- Immediately pour water over large fruits and separate them from the branches.
- If the branches are covered with cobwebs, inspect each berry, sort them, and wash them repeatedly under running water.

Cooking recipes
There are many recipes for preserving this aromatic, rich drink. When choosing a preservation method, consider the preparation process, taste preferences, and the preparation technique.
A simple recipe for the winter
Ingredients:
- Water – 2.2 liters.
- Apples – 0.54 kilograms.
- Berries – 0.34 kilograms.
- Sugar – 0.22 kilograms.

Preparation:
- Boil filtered water in a saucepan.
- At the same time, separate the berries and rinse them.
- Peel the apples and cut them into slices.
- Place apples and grapes in a three-liter container.
For extra flavor, you can add a few slices of seedless lemon, cloves or cinnamon.
- Pour the boiling solution over the fruit. Cover the container with a lid. Let the mixture cool for 10-12 minutes.
- After the time has elapsed, drain the water from the bottles into a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes with the addition of granulated sugar.
- Fill the jars with sweet marinade.
- Seal the containers with screw caps, turn the lid down, and wrap them in a warm blanket.

Without sterilization
Ingredients:
- Water – 1 liter.
- Sugar – 200 grams.
- Apples – 500 grams.
- Grapes – 500 grams.
You can prepare the decoction as follows:
- Cut the fruits into large slices, removing the seed boxes.
- Pour water over the grapes and separate them from the stems.
- Boil water in a saucepan with the addition of granulated sugar.
- After 3 minutes of boiling, drop the apple pieces and grapes into the brine. Bring to a boil and transfer to sterilized bottles using a slotted spoon.
- Bring the sugar marinade to a boil and pour into containers with fruit.
- Seal the jars with screw caps, place them under a warm blanket, and turn them upside down for 24 hours.

With the addition of lemon
A drink made from apples and grapes turns out incredibly tasty if you brew it with lemon slices.
Ingredients:
- Apples – 0.45 kilograms.
- Berries – 0.45 kilograms.
- Lemon – 0.25 kilograms.
- Sugar – 0.25 kilograms.
- Water – 2.2 liters.

Harvesting plan:
- Prepare berries and fruits according to the instructions. Core and stem the apples and chop into 4-8 pieces.
- Wash the citrus fruits in a soapy solution, pour boiling water over them, cut into slices, removing the seeds.
- Place the prepared berries, fruits and lemons into clean preserving jars.
- Pour boiling water into the bottles and leave for 10 minutes.
- Pour the water from the jars into a saucepan. Add sugar to the fruit and berry mixture.
- Boil the liquid for 2 minutes, pour into the jar to the top.
- Seal the container and leave it to self-sterilize and gradually cool under a warm blanket, placing it upside down.

With the addition of honey and spices
Ingredients:
- Grapes – 1.5 kilograms.
- Apples – 1.5 kilograms.
- Vinegar – 1 tablespoon.
- Honey – 1.5 kilograms.
- Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon.
- Carnation – 5 umbrellas.

Harvesting process:
- Wash the grape branches and separate the berries.
- Chop the apples into slices.
- Fill sterilized jars with assorted fruits and berries.
- Boil filtered water and strain it into bottles. Cover the containers with lids and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water into a saucepan. Add the cloves, vinegar, and cinnamon to the syrup. Set the pan over medium heat. Skim off any foam that forms as it boils.
- Add honey to the jars. Fill the bottles with the hot syrup.
- Seal the containers tightly with a key.
- Leave the drink upside down until it cools completely.
Storage Features
To preserve compote throughout the year, it is necessary to properly prepare the canning, observing the technology and proportions.
You should also choose a room with an air temperature from +5 to +0 degrees and humidity of no more than 80%.
In addition, the canning process should not be exposed to sunlight, which causes fermentation of the drink.












We all love to drink compote in winter, and apple and grape compote is absolutely delicious. I roll up the jars and store them in the cellar. And I simply freeze berries like cherries, raspberries, currants, and gooseberries and make compote in the winter. This year I also tried freezing apples.