If you are avoiding added sugars and starches, you have to make your own fruit spreads and toppings: pectin is in every commercial type, and most have corn sweeteners and refined sugars.
I make this on the stove, but through experimentation found that it is better in the pressure cooker or Instapot, which every Paleo-eating person seems to have. My pressure cooker is electric, absolutely safe (no explosions, I promise!) and cost about $75. It makes a pot roast in ½ hour!
The freeze dried fruit really makes these recipes work without pectin or excessive amounts of sweetener – the compote will thicken just like regular jam.
Freeze-dried fruit can be found in small packages at any health-food store, the “Just Peaches,” and “Just Blueberries,” etc… is a good brand, but they are very expensive.
I buy freeze-dried fruits from a wonderful, family-owned company in Wisconsin called North Bay Trading Company –https://www.northbaytrading.com — they sell superb freeze dried and traditionally dried organic and regular fruit, vegetables, beans and wild rice. I buy huge bags of peaches, blueberries, etc… for a fraction of the cost per oz., compared to the small packages. Their stuff is wonderful for camping, and they sell berry powders for smoothies. Yummy.
I’ll give you ingredients for a few kinds of fruit compotes we like, as the instructions for cooking are the same (although cooking times may vary).
THE METHOD FOR PRESSURE COOKING: Put fresh, thawed or still frozen fruit in cooker, along with all of the other ingredients. Lock the lid and choose low pressure. Set the time (see each type of fruit, below) and start. When done, release the pressure manually (place a cloth over the steam valve to protect yourself), and watch out, as juices will escape with the steam and run down side of cooker. Open cooker and check for doneness. If you desire softer fruit, just close it up and add a few minutes cooking time. After you’ve made a batch and know how long your cooker takes to cook to your satisfaction, allow the pressure to release by itself in the future. The consistency will be more like stewed fruit with juices than a finished jam at this point. It thickens as it cools.
If the compote really is too watery, make a note to add less water next time, and add some powdered, freeze dried fruit to the pot, a few tablespoons at a time, either pressure cooking for 1-2 minutes or transferring to a stovetop pan and bringing to a simmer, stirring constantly. Repeat until it is of desired thickness, but remember, it will thicken up as it cools, too.
Keep refrigerated or freeze.
THE METHOD FOR INSTAPOT: Since I don’t have one of these, I’d suggest looking at your manual for fruit cooking times – if you have a pressure option, though, see above.
THE METHOD FOR STOVETOP: Place fresh or frozen fruit in a large saucepan or dutch oven and add all of the required ingredients. Make sure to choose a pan that is larger than you think you’d need, to prevent boil-over if you have to step away for a minute. Heat until bubbling, continually stirring, then turn down the heat until the pan is just simmering. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of the pan, until fruit is soft and the mixture has thickened a bit. The consistency should be more like stewed fruit with juices than a finished jam at this point, but not too watery. It thickens a bit as it cools. When cool enough to taste, adjust for sweetness: add honey or a squirt of lemon. Keep refrigerated or freeze.
If the compote really is too watery, make a note to add less water next time, and add some powdered, freeze dried fruit to the pot, a few tablespoons at a time, bringing to a simmer and stirring constantly. Repeat until it is of desired thickness, but remember, it will thicken up as it cools, too.
Peach – 2 approx. 1 lb bags frozen peaches (I use Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)
½ c. water
Approximately ½ cup of pulverized freeze dried peaches or freeze dried mango (I put the freeze dried fruit in a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. At least ½ of the fruit should be powdered, the rest no bigger than ½ inch –all powder is great).
1/8 c. honey, to your taste
1 tsp vanilla
a few good shakes each of cinnamon and ground ginger
pinch nutmeg (if desired)
A few drops of lemon juice to taste (if desired/needed) – AFTER cooking is completed
Peach and Cherry
2 approx. 1 lb bags frozen peaches (I use Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)
1 cup freeze dried cherries
½ c. water
1/8 c. honey, to your taste
Approximately ½ cup of pulverized freeze dried peaches or freeze dried mango (I put the freeze dried fruit in a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. At least ½ of the fruit should be powdered, the rest no bigger than ½ inch –all powder is great).
1 tsp vanilla
a few good shakes of cinnamon
A few drops of lemon juice to taste (if desired/needed) – AFTER cooking is completed
Apple
6-8 apples, at least ½ should be granny smith, cut into 1” and 2” chunks, or thick slices. You may peel or leave unpeeled, to your taste.
½ c. water
1/8 c. honey, to your taste
Approximately ½ cup of pulverized freeze dried apples (I put the freeze dried fruit in a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. At least ½ of the fruit should be powdered, the rest no bigger than ½ inch –all powder is great).
1 tsp vanilla
a few good shakes of cinnamon
A few drops of lemon juice to taste (if desired/needed) – AFTER cooking is completed
Mixed Berry
2 approx. 1 lb bags frozen or fresh blueberries (about 4-5 cups fresh)
Same quantitity of any other berries – I like to make this after going to the farmer’s market, as a way to use up all of the last week’s left-over berries
1/3 c. water
1/4 c. honey, or to your taste (berries will need more honey than peaches or apples)
Approximately ½ cup of pulverized freeze dried peaches or freeze dried mango (I put the freeze dried fruit in a ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. At least ½ of the fruit should be powdered, the rest no bigger than ½ inch –all powder is great).
Approximately ½ cup of whole and or pulverized freeze dried blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries
1 tsp vanilla
a few good shakes of cinnamon
A few drops of lemon juice to taste (if desired/needed) – AFTER cooking is completed