Sugar-Free Prickly Pear Compote, recipe using a pot and the Bimby.
From my land, a true delight for breakfast or a snack, or even to fill croissants, pies, cookies, etc.
But also a remedy for health.
Just have a little practice peeling the fruits and then blend and filter the juice.
We will use Renette apples as a preservative as they contain pectin. Additionally, we will do a vacuum seal.
In a short step-by-step tutorial, I will explain how to peel prickly pears simply with a knife and fork.
Let’s get to know prickly pears.
This fruit is also rich in minerals and vitamins, especially Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, and is low in sodium, making it recommended for those with water retention or hypertension.
Prickly pears help with weight loss, aid intestinal transit, prevent hemorrhoids, lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood.
Prickly pears keep blood glucose levels low, therefore they can be consumed without problems by those with diabetes mellitus, allow for less fat and sugar absorption, help lower blood pressure, reducing cardiovascular system stress.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4 jars of 8.8 oz
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 20.93 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 14.89 (g) of which sugars 1.04 (g)
- Proteins 0.33 (g)
- Fat 0.21 (g) of which saturated 0.03 (g)of which unsaturated 0.12 (g)
- Fibers 1.61 (g)
- Sodium 2.06 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 2 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Let’s go shopping
- 2.2 lbs prickly pears (net weight of juice 1.76 lbs)
- 7.05 oz Renette apples
- 7.05 oz erythritol
- 0.21 oz agar agar
- Half lemon juice (of one lemon)
Sugar-Free Prickly Pear Compote
Tools
What we need to make the
- 1 Knife serrated
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Pot or the Bimby
- 1 Immersion Blender or the Bimby
- 1 Strainer
- 4 Jars with lid of 8.8 oz
- 1 Fork
Steps
Preliminaries
Sanitizing the jars during preparation:
Arrange the jars and lids in a large pot, completely covering them with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil for 30 minutes.
At the end, turn off the heat and keep them warm by closing the pot with the lid. Carefully remove the jars and lids with the help of tongs and dry them completely with a clean cotton cloth.
Peeling the Prickly Pears
The first thing to do is to keep the fruits immersed in water for at least 1 hour.
Gently mix the fruits with a wooden spoon, but do not bruise them.
Now skewer one with the fork using only the tips of the tines
Take the knife and remove the right end,
and the left without cutting all the way through.
Place the fruit vertically and cut the peel about 0.08 inches deep without piercing the flesh, cut across the fruit.
Now with the knife blade try to lift the edge of the peel.
Slowly creating space between the peel and the flesh.
Slowly detach the peel completely
and there you go.
Collect the fruits place them in a pot and blend them with an immersion blender
Filter the juice, using a strainer with not too small holes and a spoon.
Weigh the juice until you get 28.22 oz of product.
Cut the apple into cubes and blend it with the prickly pear juice if you want a smooth compote, otherwise, if you prefer a chunkier compote, leave the apple pieces whole
Put the juice in the pot with the sweetener and lemon juice.
Put it on the heat, and from the moment it boils, cook for 1 hour.
After the time, add the agar agar, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.You will notice that this compote is not as thick as the others, rather it seems quite liquid, but once cooled with the effect of agar agar it will solidify.
It’s time to pour the mixture into the jars up to below the thread. Tighten the jar well and turn it upside down immediately and until completely cooled
Once the jars are cool, you can store them in the pantry.
Put the prickly pear pulp in the Bimby. Blend for 10 sec. at speed 10.
Filter the juice, using a strainer with not too small holes and a spoon.
Weigh the juice until you get 28.22 oz of product.
Add the apple cubes, lemon juice, and sweetener.
Place the Varoma container (without the lid) instead of the measuring cup, cook: 55 min./203°F/speed 1.
Add the agar agar and continue cooking for another 5 minutes at 203°F speed 1
If after the time the jam still seems liquid, continue cooking with the Varoma container instead of the measuring cup: 10 min./Varoma/speed 1.
You will notice that this compote is not as thick as the others, rather it seems quite liquid, but once cooled with the effect of agar agar it will solidify.
The compote is ready, pour it immediately into the sanitized jars still hot. Close immediately, and turn the jars upside down, leaving them to cool completely before placing them back in their position.
Storage Warnings Notes
Warnings:
If the vacuum seal has not formed, the jam must be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a maximum of 7 days.
Storage:
Label the jars with the name and date of preparation before storing them in the pantry.
The jam will keep for several months in a dark, cool, and dry place.
If you want to extend the shelf life of the compote, it’s advisable to pasteurize the jam jars:
Once the jars are tightly closed with new lids, place them in a pot spaced apart with a clean cloth to prevent them from hitting each other, completely cover with cold water, and cook for 20 minutes from the start of the boil.
Let them cool completely before removing them from the pot, check they are intact, dry them, and store them in a dry place away from light and heat sources.
Variations: to give the compote a different flavor, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or powdered vanilla together with the fruit.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Sugar-Free Prickly Pear Compote
Can all types of prickly pears be used?
Yes, any color is fine.
