A while ago, I had some very ripe oranges but didn’t want to make the classic jam which requires a lot of sugar, rather I wanted an easy orange compote with very little sugar. I found many recipes online, especially the classic English marmalade, but they were all very laborious.
Then I stumbled upon some recipes that did not require pectin as it is already present in the white part under the orange peel, something I didn’t know. So I ended up using only two ingredients, excluding water! One recipe in particular caught my eye, and I used it for the ingredients and procedure but further simplified it, reducing the work and preparation time to just 5 minutes.
Result: it’s not a jam, but it’s definitely a super easy vegan orange compote, full of fruit pieces, slightly bitter just like marmalade, and costing only 1 Weight Watchers point per generous portion: I’m happy because I’ve already made it many times. Let’s see how I did it…
For more fruit compotes read here:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 520 g total
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 4 oranges (ripe and untreated on the surface)
- 110 g sugar (about 8 tablespoons)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- Total points (520 g) = 12 WW points
- Points per generous portion (40 g) = 1 WW point
Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Jars
Steps
Wash the oranges very well and remove the tougher top cap. Cut the oranges into small pieces, peel included, removing only the seeds and the internal white thread if present.
Put everything in a large pot and just cover with water. Put the lid on and wait for it to start boiling.
Cook on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add the sugar and mix well. Cover, wait for it to boil again, and let it go on low heat for another hour or until it reaches the desired consistency.
I let it dry a lot and obtained about 520 grams in total.
Our orange compote is ready! You can let it cool or immediately put it in the appropriate sterilized jars. I prepared two jars: one to use immediately and one I froze. Anyway, if you leave it in the fridge, it will last up to 4-5 days.
The final consistency is a very personal factor; I liked it very thick so you can feel it well under your teeth, but if you prefer it more liquid, just cook it a little less or after the two hours of cooking, you can add a little water until you reach the desired consistency. You can also use an immersion blender to mash it even more: use it intermittently otherwise it becomes a puree!
Regarding the taste: this orange compote is delicious! Bitter just right and fantastic spread on bread or even better on top of a layer of light cream cheese. Try it: making it is incredibly simple, and if you like it sweeter, just adjust with more points. Had I known earlier that making an orange compote was so simple, I would have avoided spending so much money on expensive organic jams! I look forward to your feedback…
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Notes and Storage
This compote keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for at least 5 months. You can also sterilize the jars to make it last much longer outside the fridge.
Source: Marmalade is way easier than it looks
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use more sugar?
You certainly can but always without overdoing it. Remember that every extra 10 grams of sugar you use will be 1 additional WW point on the total weight of the compote. Then you need to divide it by the number of desired portions.
You certainly can but always without overdoing it. Remember that every extra 10 grams of sugar you use will be 1 additional WW point on the total weight of the compote. Then you need to divide it by the number of desired portions.
