Cherry compote for cake: step-by-step recipe with photos

Love desserts with a bright berry flavor? Today we'll tell you how to make cherry compote at home for cake or cheesecake, and we'll also offer a classic step-by-step recipe with photos and videos of each step.

Cherry compote for cake: a step-by-step recipe

Nutritional value per serving

108 kcal

Proteins: 3.6 g
Fats: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 17.6 g

*Nutritional value is calculated per 100g of ingredients

Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Time in the kitchen: 20 min
Complexity:

It's easy and straightforward to prepare, but it does require some experience. Not everyone can do it right the first time.
Number of servings: 2

Chefs began preparing compote (cherry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, currant, and also with the addition of any other berries) back in the Middle Ages, serving it to kings as a separate dessert.

Interesting fact! The name itself comes from French, so the correct pronunciation stress is on the last syllable.

History is silent on who and when invented the idea of adding cherry compote to cake as a unique berry filling, but today this delicious berry ingredient can be found in many dessert recipes. Cherry compote is an excellent complement to:

sponge and mousse cakes;
cakes;
Belgian waffles;
pancakes.

Classic cherry compote has a consistency closer to jam, but if we're looking for a cake layer, we can't do without a gelling agent. We'll use classic gelatin. For other alternatives, read the article "What can replace gelatin?".

You can prepare cherry compote for a festive cake and other original desserts using fresh cherries or frozen berries.

From 600 grams of pitted cherries we will get an excellent berry layer for a cake with a diameter of 18 cm.

Homemade berry compote (cherry)

Cherry compote for cake – a classic step-by-step recipe with photos

Ingredients

Servings

Cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted)

600 G
Sugar

150 G
Lemon juice

1 tbsp
Water

60 G
Gelatin (instant)

15 G

Preparation

Step 1

Let's start preparing the compote by soaking 15 grams of instant gelatin in 60 grams of water. Let the mixture steep for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2

Place the cherries in a saucepan or pot with a thick bottom.

If you are using a frozen berry block, you will first need to completely defrost it naturally (you can use it along with the juice that drips off).

Step 3

Add 150 grams of sugar and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the cherries to prevent sugar crystallization during heat treatment.

You can also add to the cherries:

honey;
maple syrup;
lemon zest;
vanilla;
cinnamon and other spices.

Step 4

Place the saucepan on the stovetop and bring the cherries to a boil over medium heat. Cook for about 6-7 minutes. If the cherries are particularly large, you can increase the cooking time to 8-10 minutes.

Step 5

Heat the swollen gelatin, without bringing it to a boil, and pour it into the cherry jam in a thin stream, stirring vigorously.

Step 6

Prepare the molds for filling the round filling. We use regular rings, tightly wrapped in cling film.

Step 7

Divide the still-hot mixture into two molds. Let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate until completely set. This usually takes about 2-3 hours, but you can leave it overnight.

Step 8

We remove the hardened compote from the mold, having first run a knife along the inside of the ring.

Step 9

The prepared layer can be used immediately to make the cake or stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, wrapped in cling film.

This compote should not be frozen. Frozen gelatin loses its structure and does not retain its physical and chemical properties after defrosting.

Unlike recipes with starch, cherry compote made with gelatin has a vibrant, rich color. The berries are clearly visible, allowing the berry layer to be used not only between the cake layers but also as a decorative topping (an example of this design is shown in the photo).

If you don't want to use animal-based gelatin in your recipes, try making a berry compote from cherries using pectin and starch, using this simple video recipe as a basis: