Today I will give you the recipe for a delicious saffron, pears and vanilla compote.
Do you know the difference between marmalade, marmalade and compotes? While the jam is only and exclusively a citrus-based (oranges, lemons, etc.) preparation, all the other fruit-based preparations are called jams or compotes. The difference between jam and compote lies in the amount of sugar used: the compote contains more fruit and less sugar than a jam.
SAFFRON, PEARS AND VANILLA COMPOTE
INGREDIENTS:
1.2 kg pears
½ teaspoon saffron threads (you can buy them here)
280 g brown sugar
1 vanilla pod
Juice of 1 lemon
DIRECTIONS:
Peel the pears, discard the core, and cut them into small pieces. With a knife, cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds.
Put pears, vanilla (both seeds and pods), sugar, and lemon juice in a thick-bottomed pot. Put on the stove over medium heat and let the mixture heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the saffron stigmas, cover with a lid, and let it rest for at least 4 hours.
After the standing time has elapsed, put the pot back on the stove and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the maceration liquid has dried and the compote has reached the right consistency.
The compote is ready! You can decide whether to leave it like this with the whole pear pieces, or to partly blend it with the immersion mixer to have a more “spreadable” consistency.
Always remember to sterilize the jars in which you decide to keep your freshly prepared compote. I usually sterilize them in the oven. First of all, wash and dry your jars. Preheat the oven to a temperature between 100 ° C and 130 ° C. When the oven is hot, insert the jars and let them “cook” for 5 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave them in for another 20 minutes. Caps generally do not need to be sterilized because they must be changed each time they are used.
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Born in Romagna, now living in Piacenza. I am the owner and co-founder with my husband of Zafferano Emiliano. Follow our site to get the latest news about our Saffron cultivation – and some recipes as well!