Dried fruit kompot: Polish Christmas Eve drink served warm or chilled

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Soak the fruit

   2 hr

   Rinse the dried fruit in a strainer under cold water and cut any larger pieces of apple and pear in half. Place in a pot, pour in 2 l of cold water, and let soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

2. Simmer

   35 min

   Add the cinnamon and cloves to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until the fruit is soft.

3. Sweeten

   1 hr

   Remove the kompot from the heat, stir in the honey and lemon juice, and add more sweetener to taste. Cover and let steep for at least an hour, then remove the cinnamon and cloves.

4. Serve

   5 min

   Serve lukewarm or chilled in glasses with pieces of fruit. Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; the flavor is fullest the next day.

Tip: Look for smoked prunes at markets and Polish grocery stores; they give the kompot a delicate smoky aroma. If you cannot find dried pears, use more apples or prunes instead.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Voňavý kompót zo sušeného ovocia: poľský nápoj na Štedrý večer, ktorý chutí teplý aj vychladený