Easy Strawberry Compote & Coulis
This three ingredient strawberry compote is my go-to topping for cheesecakes, shortcake, and pancakes! It's tart, sweet, and comes together in just 20 minutes. And, you can even blend it up to make a smooth strawberry coulis!
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Equipment
- Heavy bottom saucepan
- 16 ounce jar, for storing
Instructions
To Make Compote
- Hull the strawberries and slice them into quarters (if large) and halves (if small).
- Combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Place on the stove over medium-low heat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries release their juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the liquid is syrupy and the berries are very soft and starting to break up.
- Remove the berries from the heat and add the vanilla bean paste or extract (if using). Immediately pour the compote into a heatproof container or jar. Let cool to room temperature. Then, cover, refrigerate, and let the compote cool completely before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To Make Coulis
- After you simmer the strawberries for 10-15 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla bean paste or extract (if using).
- Next, carefully pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. (If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 Tablespoons of water to thin). Then, pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pushing the coulis through with a rubber spatula, to remove the seeds and extra pulp.
- Lastly, pour the coulis into jars and cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
For smoother compote, thinly slice or chop the strawberries.
Taste the strawberries before adding the sugar. If the berries are very sweet, use 2-3 Tablespoons of sugar. If they're very tart, add up to 1/3 cup of sugar.
To thicken the compote further, combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water, and whisk until smooth. After simmering the berries for 10-15 minutes, slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the compote. Stir frequently until the compote is jammy and no longer cloudy, 2-3 more minutes.
If you plan on using this compote as a cake filling, I recommend thickening it with cornstarch so the liquid doesn't soak into the cake. (See cornstarch instructions above).
Serving: 0.25cup of compote, Calories: 44kcal, Carbohydrates: 10.8g, Protein: 0.4g, Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 91mg, Fiber: 1.2g, Sugar: 9.2g, Calcium: 9mg
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