This vanilla mandarin compote joins the many other fruit compotes on my blog. I don’t call them jams or preserves because they are all made with very little sugar. The final result is delicious and definitely better than the so-called “light” supermarket products that might taste like sweeteners…
To make this vegan mandarin compote you can also use clementines or tangerines and be sure not to omit the vanilla. I added only one vanilla pod that I had already used before, one of those I keep to flavor sugar: and what a heavenly aroma while I was cooking the compote, the house still smelled the next day!
In terms of lightness: three tablespoons cost only half a Weight Watchers point, what more could you want? Let’s see how to prepare it…
You can find other compotes here:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 400 g total
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 12 mandarins (or ripe clementines or tangerines)
- 1 pod vanilla (already used is fine too)
- 1.6 oz sugar
- to taste water
- Total points (14.1 oz) = 5 WW points
- Points for 1.4 oz portion = 0.5 WW points
- Points for 0.7 oz portion = 0 WW points
Tools
- Cutting Board
- Pot
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
- Hand Blender
- Jars
Steps
Peel the mandarins, remove any seeds, and cut all segments into pieces. Put them in a large pot and barely cover with water. Add the vanilla pod cut in half lengthways, cover, and let it boil. Then continue to cook on low heat for half an hour, stirring occasionally, then add the sugar and mix well. Cover again and let it cook on low heat for another half hour.
Remove the vanilla pod and use the immersion blender to mash the compote without turning it into a puree: just use the blender pulsing for a few seconds while rotating it in the pot. If the compote is too liquid, let it simmer gently for another quarter of an hour or until it reaches the desired consistency. I left it quite moist and obtained about 14.1 ounces in total.
At this point, you can either let the mandarin compote cool or immediately put it into the appropriate jars and perform the classic sterilization procedure.
Here’s a photo showing the consistency of mine, moist enough but sufficiently thickened to be spreadable. If it thickens too much, you can always add a little water at the end of cooking to achieve the desired consistency.
The result, as already mentioned, was truly fantastic. Besides, I am always so surprised that I can prepare these compotes: when I read jam recipes, I always see long preparations with lots of sugar, or the use of pectin. But this way, everything is on the stove in a few minutes, just set a timer to remember to stir occasionally: minimal work! And the flavor is fantastic, you can taste the vanilla in both taste and aroma, and there’s a slight bitter aftertaste that I absolutely love. Try it yourself and let me know how it is!
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
This compote keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days or can be frozen for at least 5 months. You can also sterilize the jars to make it last much longer outside the fridge.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use more sugar?
Of course you can, but always without overdoing it. Remember that every extra 0.35 ounces of sugar you use will add 1 WW point to the total weight of the compote. And then you have to divide by the number of desired portions.
