This vanilla mandarin compote adds to 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 certainly better than the so-called “light” supermarket products that might taste like sweetener…
To make this vegan mandarin compote you can also use clementines or tangerines and make sure not to omit the vanilla. I added only one previously used bean, one of those I save to flavor sugar: and what a heavenly scent while cooking the compote, the house still smelled the next day!
In terms of lightness: three tablespoons cost only half a Weight Watchers point, you couldn’t ask for more, right? Let’s see how it’s made…
Find more compotes here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 14 oz total
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 12 mandarins (or ripe clementines or tangerines)
- 1 bean vanilla (a previously used one is fine too)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- as needed water
- Total points (14 oz) = 5 WW points
- Points per 1.4 oz serving = 0.5 WW points
- Points per 0.7 oz serving = 0 WW points
Tools
- Cutting board
- Pot
- Knife
- Wooden spoon
- Immersion blender
- Jars
Steps
Peel the mandarins, remove any seeds, and cut all segments into pieces. Place them in a large pot and just cover with water. Add the vanilla bean, split lengthwise, cover and bring to a boil. Then continue to cook on low heat for half an hour, stirring occasionally, then add the sugar and mix well. Cover again and cook on low heat for another half hour.
Remove the vanilla bean and use the immersion blender to mash the compote but do not make it into a puree: just pulse the blender for a few seconds, swirling it in the pot. If the compote is too liquid, let it simmer gently for another fifteen minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency. I left it quite moist and obtained about 14 oz in total.
At this point, you can let the mandarin compote cool or immediately put it into the appropriate jars and proceed with the classic sterilization procedure.
Here is a photo showing the consistency of mine, moist enough but thickened sufficiently to spread. If it thickens too much, you can always add a little water at the end of cooking until the desired consistency is achieved.
The result, as mentioned before, was truly fantastic. Apart from the fact that I’m always so surprised to be able to make these compotes: when I read jam recipes, they always seem long and require so much sugar, or the use of pectin. But in this way, everything is on the stove in a few minutes, just set a timer to remind you to stir occasionally: minimal work!
And the taste is fantastic, you can taste and smell the vanilla and there is a slightly bitter aftertaste that I love. Try it out and let me know how it turns out.
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 so they last much longer outside the fridge.
FAQ
Can I use more sugar?
Of course, you can, but always without overdoing it. Remember that every extra 10 grams of sugar you use will be 1 more WW point on the total weight of the compote. And then you have to divide it by the number of desired servings.
