Compote de Pommes or French Applesauce
This Compote de Pommes or French Applesauce from Dorie Greenspan is a perfect autumn side dish or can be used to fill scrumptious apple turnovers!
Compote de Pommes AKA French Applesauce
My mother-in-law always has a bowl of homemade applesauce cooling on her dining room table when we visit. She uses Golden Delicious apples, and it’s usually necessary to whip up a second batch before we head home.
SO simple; just peel, core, and chop the apples before simmering with a little water and sugar. So making Dorie’s French version of applesauce, or Compote de Pommes, was a breeze.
Her recipe for compote de pommes called for a wee bit of brown sugar plus a splash of vanilla at the end instead of our typical sprinkle of cinnamon. White sugar to taste sweetens the pot. Seriously, no jarred version can compare. I was excited to test our Dorie Greenspan’s French Applesauce to see how they compared.
Chaussons aux Pommes or Apple Turnovers
I did not find the Courtland, McIntosh or Empire varieties Dorie suggested, but Jonagold worked just fine. I like my sauce a little chunky so skipped the extra step of running it through the food mill.
I also used Dorie’s Bonne Idée and prepared a few apple turnovers,which was as elementary as cutting out puff pastry rounds, dolloping a scant tablespoon of applesauce in the center, folding, sealing and baking. Of course, if you’d like your chaussons aux pommes a little more elegant, just paint with an egg wash, crimp the edges with a fork and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
After baking for just 20 minutes at 400º, the puffed beauties were pulled out of the oven. Both the sauce and the turnovers were eaten with gusto.
Our oldest, Tom, popped over to help Mr. Skinny Chick with some manly chores, changing a headlight bulb, adjusting the ridiculously heavy Big Green Egg, and helping me figure out why my photo editing software wasn’t recognizing my camera. He earned his keep and mounded his plate full of food both my sons tend to do. Plus he happily ate a couple turnovers as well. I am slightly envious of his metabolism. And the hubby decided these were perfectly acceptable for breakfast, too.
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Compote de Pommes or French Applesauce #FrenchFridayswithDorie
A French applesauce adapted from Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (6 medium) apples, preferably red apples like Empire, Cortland or McIntosh
- About 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter, for thicker compote (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and core the apples. Slice each into about 8 pieces. Place in a medium saucepan.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of water and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently over medium-low heat. Continue until the apples are soft enough to be crushed with the back of a spoon. If the pan looks too dry, add a little more water as you cook. This process will take about 15-20 minutes.
- If you want regular compote de pommes, remove the pan from the heat and run the compote through a food mill. If you prefer chunky applesauce, mash with a potato masher. If your applesauce is too runny, just cook for a few more minutes.
- Taste and add more sugar if needed. Mix in vanilla and butter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.
The original recipe for this Compote de Pommes can be found on this blog. I used 1/4 cup sugar, not 1/4 tablespoon,but you can adjust this measurement depending on the sweetness of your apples.
Ma and I are going out to breakfast today… I’m thinking I’d rather have a turnover instead:@)
Those turnovers look lovely Liz!
This applesauce sounds great. I love that you used some for turnovers. I never would have thought of that.
Great looking turnovers, Liz. We enjoyed the applesauce too, so simple and fresh tasting compared
to anything in a jar.
I love making homemade applesauce. In fact, that reminds me I need to make a trip to the apple barn to buy more apples to do just that with them. I can see why your turnovers didn’t last long – especially with a hungry crew around!
Looks scrumptious and I am sure tasted amazing too :D.
i’ve never made homemade applesauce but that recipe looks great, i’d love to give it a go 🙂
the hobbit kitchen x
I usually always make applesauce from the apples on my trees. But this year we had a late freeze and no apples! But I make applesauce my mom’s way which means taking those cute little red cinnamon hot candy decorations and stirring them into the hot apples so they melt. They give the applesauce a great cinnamon flavor, plus they make it a pretty shade of pink! Sometimes you do have to add more cinnamon or sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples. Good sauce, Liz!
So jealous of your turnovers! they look beautiful! I make this sauce (or a variation) fairly often at this time of year – you are right, it’s so easy and delicious. What a fun visit you had too!
This homemade applesauce sounds wonderful and what a great idea to use some for apple turnovers! I can see why your guys in the house gobbled them right up, they look fantastic 🙂
Beautiful turnovers. The applesauce was delicious. A favorite in my house. Hope you have a nice weekend:)
There’s no way in mighty heck that applesauce would last long enough to cover in lovely pastry. I’m a bit of a chunky applesauce “ho” 😉
What tasty looking turnovers! Great post!
I love homemade applesauce. What a great idea to put it in turnovers. My family usually slurps it into their bellies before I can think to do anything with it.
Your turnovers are just beautiful! And the applesauce is perfect! Nothing beats homemade applesauce!
Simply beautiful Apple Turnovers, Lizzy! I love the chunky looking applesauce. We really enjoyed this one…loved the hint of vanilla and the fact that this has so little sugar in it. Have a great weekend!
I will definitely check this out, I’m a huge fan of applesauce.
Yum…I love the apple turnovers!!!!!
Looks delicious, my daughter loves apple sauce but I have never made her any, I will have to change that!! I already have a bunch of apples in the freezer too!!
Yes, I remember when I was young and could eat anything without a second thought. Those were the days. Well, good for you, it makes him easier to bribe;-)
Liz, thanks for sharing this… I’ve been looking for a good apple sauce recipe for a while!
I love homemade apple sauce and then you used it in those flaky turnovers – brilliant!
I found it so hard not to shake some cinnamon on the applesauce… but I did really enjoy the French way. I think I need to start keeping some pastry dough in the freezer… my daughter thinks its aweful that I would buy it pre made but the turnover idea is wonderful and yours look delicious.
I love compote de pommes and your turnovers (chausson aux pommes) look delicious!
the turnovers look delicious. i need to make some soon.
I really liked the French version of apple sauce! And the turnovers look terrific! I used mine for a tart. I like how so many Doristas incorporated the applesauce into a round of baked goods.
My puffs are also gone. Wolfed down. Best sweets are mini ones. Yours are just perfect.
When I spotted the pix of your Chaussons aux Pommes on your Facebook page, my little French heart when pitter patter. You make them sound so easy to bake – we’ll see. My mom always made applesauce – as a kid I never knew you could buy it at the store. So, I am spoiled and try to make it often. Prefer the chunky but love the simple way Dorie suggested making it.
I always make home-made apple sauce too, it truly is so easy! And so worth it. This looks super yummy!
they sound yummy!
Yum, I love homemade applesauce! The apples simmering… smells so nice. 🙂
Both turnover and apple compote look really fancy and delicious!
homemade apple sauce looks very comforting and perfect for this weather 🙂 I’m sure it tasted yum 🙂
How très elegante to imbibe in compote de pommes, Liz. Your family is especially lucky…Those turnovers do look like a perfect breakfast (which was perfectly baked!)
Your apple turnovers are so PERFECT!
I’m sure Tom’s just as jealous of your perfect plank as you are of his metabolism. That picture remains ingrained in my head.
I had never made or had homemade applesauce before, so this was a treat. I’m in the middle of making something with it, so my post will be coming in a little later.
I love all with apples!!!
I love applesauce, and homemade is the best! This looks wonderful!
Once you’ve made homemade applesauce, store bought is never good enough. 🙂
We always had apple sauce on the dinner table when I was growing up! I should make this more often. Your turnovers look and sound delicious!!
thoroughly addictive,thanks for this wonderful recipe
Beautiful apple compote… love the turner-overs too. 🙂
Love that you have a family memory of getting this at your mother in laws- fabulous. I am dying for one of those turn overs, they really look amazing. You also had me chuckling at the to do list & payment re: your son’s visit. Sounds about like my house. And don’t get me started on metabolism envy….Mrs. Skinny Chick 🙂 Great job !!!
I love home made applesauce, though I’d have to put mine through the ricer first. It sill looks delicious. Can you please pass that plate of turnovers?
Those look exactly like the apple turnovers I used to buy as a child when my mother gave me 20 cents (yes that’s right) for my school lunch. The pastry was crisp and the apples tart – yum!
That’s certainly an amazing coincidence that we both posted apple sauce recipes! I’ve never tried apple sauce with vanilla, preferring cinnamon and cloves but I’ll try this xx
I love applesauce. Unfortunately I’m not the only one and the batches I make never make it into any apple recipes. 🙂 These turnovers are beautiful!
Liz, looking delicious – I really like that you made some lovely apple turnovers as well as the apple compote – although I was a day late posting, we really enjoyed the apple compote as well!
Have a fabulous Sunday!
Your turnovers look delicious! I envy how much you get done and aspire to be like you! Thank you for the hugs. Support from friends truly helps!
Love turnovers. I used to make so much applesauce when my little one was little:)…I just got bored of it. I got to make a batch now, your dish looks awesome.
Yum, I love the sound of your turnovers. Hmmm applesauce…yummy deliciousness. Homemade is the best…for sure!
One of those hand pies would go really well right about now.
It’s amazing what a little bit of heat and sugar can do for one of my favorite fruits.
Such a versatile sauce…love chunky too! My son is my techie guru also…only it’s getting more difficult to grab him with his travel, etc.
Your apple turnovers look great! I just ate my apples neat.
I like your apple turnovers – I wish I’d made some too.
Your turnovers look beautiful. And I agree with your husband. They are definitely an acceptable breakfast!
Those turnovers look beautiful! I ended up eating most of the applesauce just as it was – it was that good.
I love applesauce but haven’t made it in years. This sounds fantastic and my daughter who just came in town asked me to go apple picking with her this week. So now we’ve definitely got another recipe to add to the pot.