TOP 5 recipes for preserving cloudberry compote for the winter at home, and storing the preserves

For those who want to indulge in something healthy and delicious even during the cold season, now is the time to consider extending the life of cloudberries, which contain vitamins and antioxidants essential for the human body. For example, a cloudberry compote, prepared for the winter, is an excellent option; you can find the recipe below.

Recommendations before you start cooking

To ensure the drink is delicious and lasts until next season, there are a few secrets that will help you make the perfect compote.

1. The best choice for this drink is ripe, firm berries, harvested in early August. Cloudberries should be yellow-orange in color. If they're red, they're not yet ripe.
2. When cleaning the berries, don't rush to remove the sepals, as they contain a wealth of beneficial substances, just like the cloudberries themselves. They're dried and then used to brew a vitamin-rich tea.
3. Jars can be stored safely for up to a year, either in a cool cellar or pantry. The main condition is to keep the drink away from sunlight and at a temperature of 15-18 degrees Celsius. If properly sterilized, the drink can be safely stored for up to two years.
4. Experienced housewives recommend turning the jars of finished drinks upside down after sealing them. This way, you can determine whether the container is hermetically sealed. If you notice air rising from the bottom, the jar isn't sealed properly.

How to select ingredients?

There are several recommendations regarding the selection of ingredients. For example, the berries must be ripe. As mentioned earlier, it's best to harvest in August, as this is when cloudberries reach their full ripeness.

It's also worth considering that, once picked, the berries "settle" somewhat, meaning they shrink in size. Generally speaking, picking them is considered quite a difficult task, so it's best to do it with others.

Care must be taken to ensure that no leaves or poor-quality fruit get into the finished drink. Watery berries can also spoil the compote. It's best to choose firm, whole, ripe, and appetizing-looking fruit.

Cooking methods

When it comes to making a delicious drink, there are several ways to ensure it's high-quality and healthy. Let's look at a few of these options below.

A classic recipe for making compote for the winter

To prepare cloudberry compote according to the classic recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Cloudberry – 1 kilogram.
2. Sugar – 1 kilogram.
3. Water – 3 liters.

The harvested berries are rinsed in warm water and sorted to select the ripest and most beautiful ones for the drink. The clean cloudberries are laid out on a dry surface and left to dry completely. In the meantime, you can focus on other processes.

Pour water into a saucepan and place it on the stove. Gradually add sugar to the boiling water until it dissolves completely. The dried fruit is placed in jars and poured with the cooked syrup. The jars must be sterilized. After sealing the jars, wrap the still-warm compote and only after it has cooled completely is it stored.

Making compote in a slow cooker

Housewives who have a multicooker at their disposal can safely try making compote for the winter, especially since it requires minimal effort.

To prepare the drink in a slow cooker, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Cloudberry – 1 kilogram.
2. Sugar – 1 kilogram.
3. Water – 3 liters.

Place the cleaned fruit in a multicooker bowl and sprinkle sugar on top. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then add the liquid. Cook the compote on the "Stewing" setting for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour the finished drink into jars.

Cloudberry and blueberry compote

To make cloudberry and blueberry compote you will need the following ingredients:

1. Cloudberry – 1 kilogram.
2. Sugar – 1 kilogram.
3. Water – 2 liters.
4. Blueberries – 700 grams.
5. Citric acid – 20 grams.

The berries need to be sorted, washed, and dried. Next, prepare the syrup by bringing the water to a boil, adding sugar and citric acid. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

The berries are placed in containers that are sterilized beforehand and filled with hot syrup. Next, the entire container must be pasteurized at 90 degrees Celsius.

Cloudberry and blackberry compote

For this version of the drink you need to take the following ingredients:

1. Cloudberry – 1 kilogram.
2. Sugar – 1 kilogram.
3. Water – 3 liters.
4. Blackberries – 700 grams.

The berries are sorted, washed, and dried. The syrup is prepared using the same method as in the previous recipes. The prepared syrup is poured over the berries.

Cloudberry and apple compote

Apple and cloudberry compote is prepared in the same way as the previous versions. The only thing worth noting is that apples pair well with cinnamon, so this spice is also added to the recipe.

Storage

Store the finished compote in a cool, dark place. Ideally, an attic, cellar, or basement. The room temperature should be no higher than 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) – this will determine how long the preserved compote will last.

If you only made a small amount of the drink, you can store it in the refrigerator. Some people even freeze the drink, but this can alter its flavor somewhat. The shelf life is long, especially if you follow the instructions for preparation and subsequent storage in the appropriate conditions. For those who want to enjoy cloudberry compote for over a year, sterilization is recommended.