Hoşaf

Hoşaf (Turkish Dried Fruit Compote)

A light, gently sweetened fruit compote from Turkey, hoşaf is traditionally served alongside rich meat dishes or pilav to cleanse the palate. This version keeps to the classic combination of raisins and dried apricots, gently simmered until plump.

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •150 g (5¼ oz) raisins, dark or golden, seedless
• •100 g (3½ oz) dried apricots, unsulphured if possible, halved
• •50 g (1¾ oz) dried figs, small, quartered; or omit
• •80 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar, adjust to taste; can replace with 60 ml honey added at the end
• •1 litre (4¼ cups) water
• •1 piece cinnamon stick, optional
• •4 cloves whole cloves, optional
• •5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice, fresh, added at the end

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the raisins, apricots and figs under warm water to remove any dust or residue. Drain well.
2. 2 Place the dried fruits in a medium saucepan and add 1 litre (4¼ cups) water along with the cinnamon stick and whole cloves, if using.
3. 3 Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, until the fruits are very soft and the liquid has reduced by roughly one-third.
4. 4 Stir in the sugar and continue to simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Taste and add a little more sugar if you prefer it sweeter; if the compote is too sweet, leave it as Turkish tradition favours a lightly sweet profile.
5. 5 Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Stir in the lemon juice, which lifts the fruit flavours and balances the sweetness.
6. 6 Let the hoşaf cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve cold in small glass bowls or tulip glasses, with a little of the syrup spooned over the fruit.