Taste of the Season: Autumn Fruits Compote with Flourless Chocolate Cake

You’ll love this compote made with fresh apples and pears and dried fruits like apricots, raisins, and cranberries. Serve it over vanilla ice cream or with this flourless chocolate cake.

Autumn Fruits Compote

Makes 5 cups

• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup pear nectar
• 1/4 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 6 cloves
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1 in. pieces
• 2 medium firm, ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1 in. pieces
• 2 tbsp. pear brandy

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the wine, pear nectar, brown sugar, zest and juice of orange and lemon, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Remove the cloves.

2. Reduce the heat, add the apricots, raisins, cranberries, apples, and pears, and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the apples and pears are nearly tender.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fruits to a bowl and return the cooking liquid to the pan along with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Boil the liquid for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves and stir in the brandy.

4. Pour the liquid over the fruit and stir gently to combine. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature and rewarm before serving.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

• 9 oz. bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
• 10 tbsp. butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds, ground
• 5 large eggs, separated
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9 in. springform pan and dust with flour. Tap out the excess.

2. Combine the chocolate, butter, and sugar in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, or until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat, add the almonds, and then stir in the egg yolks one at a time.

3. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Spoon one fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten, and then gently fold in the remaining whites.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is firm. (Cake will rise, form a crust, the fall again.) Cool completely, then run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove the metal ring.

5. To serve, dust the cake with the confectioners’ sugar and top with the warm compote. fruits or ice cream, if desired.