Elderflower and rhubarb are a match made in heaven. They pair so well together and meld nicely into one piquant, floral flavour. I couldn’t resist putting them together into a compote to dollop on everything in sight.
To get the elderflower flavour in this recipe I use an elderflower cordial. Cordial here in the UK is simply a concentrated flavoured syrup, it’s not alcoholic as is generally the case in North America. If you are not able to get ahold of elderflower cordial you may substitute it with a flavoured syrup of your choosing (or even honey or maple syrup). But, in my opinion elderflower cordial is worth searching for – there’s nothing else quite like it.
I like leaving my rhubarb a bit tart, so feel free to add additional sugar or cordial if you prefer things a little sweeter. Compote is composed of sweetened, stewed fruit – and that’s it – so you really can’t go wrong fiddling and experimenting with a recipe to make it what you want. Choose a fruit, add some sweetener (a splash of water doesn’t hurt if there’s no other liquid in the recipe) and cook until softened to desired consistency and texture.
I’ve got some recipes ideas using this compote swirling around in my head. In the meantime, serve this over ice cream, stirred into yogurt or cottage cheese, or, as my kids have requested, dolloped on toast with a smearing of cream cheese.
Rhubarb Elderflower Compote
- 250g rhubarb, roughly chopped
- 30 ml elderflower cordial
- 25g unrefined cane sugar
Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring to break up the rhubarb. Once the rhubarb has broken down to desired consistency, taste. Add an additional splash of cordial or sprinkling of sugar, if desired.
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