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.
Compote de Pommes or French Applesauce
A French applesauce adapted from Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table
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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4 servingsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 48mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 0g
60 Comments on “Compote de Pommes or French Applesauce”
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!!
Once you’ve made homemade applesauce, store bought is never good enough. 🙂
I love applesauce, and homemade is the best! This looks wonderful!
I love all with apples!!!
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.
Your apple turnovers are so PERFECT!
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!)
homemade apple sauce looks very comforting and perfect for this weather 🙂 I’m sure it tasted yum 🙂
Both turnover and apple compote look really fancy and delicious!
Yum, I love homemade applesauce! The apples simmering… smells so nice. 🙂
they sound yummy!
I always make home-made apple sauce too, it truly is so easy! And so worth it. This looks super yummy!
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.
My puffs are also gone. Wolfed down. Best sweets are mini ones. Yours are just perfect.
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.
the turnovers look delicious. i need to make some soon.
I love compote de pommes and your turnovers (chausson aux pommes) look delicious!
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 homemade apple sauce and then you used it in those flaky turnovers – brilliant!
Liz, thanks for sharing this… I’ve been looking for a good apple sauce recipe for a while!