Chokeberry and Apple Compote for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   For the compote you'll need: chokeberries (aronia), apples, water, and granulated sugar.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the jars ahead of time with baking soda and sterilize them however you like. My jar has a metal bail (swing-top) clamp, so it can't go in the microwave. Instead, I set the wet jar upside down in a cold oven — with the rubber gasket removed first — and sterilize it for 15 minutes at 250°F (120°C). I just pour boiling water over the gaskets for three minutes. If you're using regular metal lids, do the same.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the apples under running water, quarter them, and remove the cores.

4. Step 4:

   

   If your chokeberries are fresh, wash them and pick off the stems. If they're frozen, just pick them over. Put the apples and chokeberries in the bottom of a sterilized jar.

5. Step 5:

   

   Fill the jar with boiling water — from a kettle, for example. Pour it into the center, onto the fruit, rather than directly onto the glass, so the jar doesn't crack. Cover with a lid and let it sit for five minutes so the apples warm through.

6. Step 6:

   

   After that, carefully drain the water from the jar into a saucepan, holding the jar with pot holders so you don't get burned.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the sugar to the saucepan and bring the syrup to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar fully dissolves.

8. Step 8:

   

   Using a ladle, pour the syrup back into the jar. Don't forget to douse the ladle with boiling water first — microorganisms can live on it too and keep the compote from lasting the winter. Fill the jar as close to the rim as you can. If you run a little short on syrup, just top it up with boiling water.

9. Step 9:

   

   Seal the jars and wrap them in a thick towel. If you're using screw-top jars, it's better to turn the sealed jar upside down and wrap it that way. Let the jars cool completely, then put them away for storage.