Blueberries are full of everything that’s good for you and utterly delicious in this easy blueberry compote recipe. Read on to learn how to make this delicious blueberry compote to add a burst of blueberry brilliance to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Blueberry compote
Blueberries have an impressive reputation as a superfood, bursting with juice and that distinctive flavour. You can almost feel them doing you good when you bite into them.
See also
- Plum compote, a delicious use for an abundant harvest
- Make the most of tart fruit with this gorgeous gooseberry compote
- Cranberry compote is a great way to enjoy another favourite North American fruit
The downside to fresh summer berries is that they really, really don’t last very long. This blueberry compote is not a preserve as such, but it does extend the life of fresh berries by up to a week, and can be added to all sorts of dishes or frozen to enjoy later.
On the other hand, if you don’t have fresh blueberries, you can always use a bag of frozen fruit to make this delicious compote.
I find a juicy fruit compote a great way to get more fruit into my diet. I keep it in the fridge and find that I easily add it to my yogurt or porridge or pancakes with zero effort.
This is a particularly good habit in the case of this blueberry compote, since blueberries are just bursting with vitamins, antioxidants and anthocyanins, the pigments that give the berries their colour and may help protect our guts, hearts, eyes and more.
Blueberries also have another great quality, of course. They don’t need to be topped and tailed like so many other soft fruits, which makes this blueberry compote the easiest of recipes.
Why make blueberry compote
- tastes fantastic
- keep your berries a little longer
- blueberries are full of precious nutrients
- a quick and easy 3 ingredient easy recipe
Blueberry compote ingredients
- Blueberries – fresh or frozen
- Sugar – I use golden caster sugar as I like the extra flavour, but regular caster or granulated sugar is fine.
- Lemon – unwaxed. Adds flavour and some pectin to help thicken the compote.
- Cornflour (optional, not shown) – to thicken the compote
How to make blueberry compote – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this blueberry compote recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put the blueberries in a saucepan and add the sugar. Then zest the lemon straight into the pan.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
For best results, roll the lemon under the heel of your hand on a hard work surface to break down the membranes and release more juice. Then zest the lemon and after that, cut it and squeeze the juice out.
Step Two – Squeeze the juice of half the lemon and add to the pan. If using fresh blueberries you can add a little more lemon juice.
Step Three – Stir ingredients together and simmer over a low heat, gently stirring all the time to dissolve the sugar. After 5–10 minutes, you should have a rich, thick syrup and the berries will have started to break down. The compote is now ready.
If you use frozen blueberries, you may find that the compote does not thicken sufficiently. If this happens, you can easily thicken it with a spoon of cornflour (cornstarch).
Put a teaspoon of cornflour in a small bowl or ramekin, then add a spoon of the blueberry syrup and stir it in to make a paste. Then return it to the compote and stir whilst you carry on heating, until the cloudiness of the cornflour disappears and you have the consistency you want.
Read more in my ultimate guide on how to thicken with cornflour.
NEVER add the cornflour straight into the compote – you will never get the lumps out.
Step Four – When you are happy with your compote, take it off the heat and transfer to a suitable storage jar or pot. When the compote is cold, store it in the fridge.
Serving suggestion
Enjoy your blueberry compote as a simple breakfast or dessert, with a little yogurt or cream.
Swirl into a bowl of yogurt or use it to top French toast or pancakes, rice pudding or vanilla ice cream.
Use as a cheesecake topping, a pie filling or in a pavlova.
Variations
- Add a touch of ground cinnamon or allspice if you like a spiced compote.
- A dash of brandy or an orange liqueur would make a delicious compote to serve as dessert with crème fraîche and amaretti biscuits.
- Add some raspberries for a mixed berry compote.
Storage
Fridge – Cover your blueberry compote and transfer to an airtight pot in the fridge as soon as it is cold. Stores for about five days.
Freezer – Blueberry compote can be frozen very successfully but do make sure that your pot has a good seal. The syrup might not freeze solid, so if you haven’t sealed it properly, it can leak all over your freezer. This blueberry compote will keep for at least three months.
Hints and tips
- Be gentle when cooking. You need to stir to avoid the sugar and fruit burning before the syrup forms, but don’t crush the berries to a pulp.
- Frozen berries are more watery. You may need to thicken the blueberry compote with just a little cornstarch/cornflour. Don’t overdo it!
- You can maximize the juice in your lemon by rolling it before you squeeze it.
FAQs
A compote is not a preserve in the sense that jam and chutney are preserves. It won’t last for months or years. That said, it lasts longer than the fresh berries, as blueberries are extremely perishable.
You can confidently assume that this blueberry compote will last five days in the refrigerator and it may be good for a little longer.
As well as adding another layer of flavour, the lemon helps to thicken the compote.
Hopefully, you won’t need to thicken your blueberry compote, as the lemon helps to make a good, thick syrup. However, if you do need more, you can use just a little cornflour slurry.
Yes – the juice will be come more syrupy once cooled or chilled
More fruit recipes
- Roasted plums – a sumptuous spiced dessert
- Stewed rhubarb – light and fresh
- Gooseberry fool – a creamy and delicious treat
- Explore more fruit recipes
Blueberry Compote
Ingredients
- 200 g blueberries
- 30 g (2 tbsp) caster sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of half a lemon
Optional
- 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (to thicken)
Instructions
- Put the blueberries in a pan with the sugar. Zest the lemon into the pan.200 g blueberries, 30 g caster sugar, zest of 1 lemon
- Juice half the lemon and add to the pan.juice of half a lemon
- Stir ingredients together and simmer over a low heat, stirring all the time to dissolve the sugar. After 5–10 minutes, you should have a rich, thick syrup and the berries will have started to break down.
To thicken (If needed)
- Put a teaspoon of cornflour in a small bowl or ramekin, then add a spoon of the blueberry syrup and stir it in to make a paste. Then return it to the compote and stir whilst you carry on heating, until the cloudiness of the cornflour disappears and you have the consistency you want.NEVER add the cornflour straight into the compote – you will never get the lumps out.1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- Tranfer to a sealable pot or jar and cool. Seal and store in the fridge.
Notes
Storage
Fridge – Cover your blueberry compote and transfer to an airtight pot in the fridge as soon as it is cold. Stores for about five days. Freezer – Blueberry compote can be frozen very successfully but do make sure that your pot has a good seal. The syrup does not freeze solid, so if you haven’t sealed it properly, it can leak all over your freezer. This blueberry compote will keep for at least three months.Hints and tips
- Be gentle when cooking. You need to stir to avoid the sugar and fruit burning before the syrup forms, but don’t crush the berries to a pulp.
- Frozen berries are more watery. You may need to thicken the blueberry compote with just a little cornstarch/cornflour. Don’t overdo it!
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