Pineapple and Apricot Compote

My daughter keeps reminding me how I have not baked any dessert recently. She is right… I feel if I bake something.. then I have to eat it and I really don’t want to … so I don’t end up making anything. It is better not to have anything at home to tempt you through the day or after a meal.

So, when some friends were coming over for a cook out, I started thinking of dessert. I thought about just cutting up some watermelon which is really delicious and healthy but I wanted to do something a little different but keep it healthy at the same time. I decided to cook the fruit and make a compote. I had apricots and pineapple in the fridge.. I added some honey, orange juice and cardamom. I love cardamom with fruit.. it gave a delicious floral undertone to the compote. I chilled it and served it with a dollop of creme fraiche. It was a perfect dessert. It satisfied the sweet craving but definitely did not break the calorie bank. A perfect end to a delicious meal….

• ½ fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 apricots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup orange juice
• 2 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
• A Container of Crème Fraiche

Add the pineapple, apricots, orange juice, cardamom pods and honey to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes till just about a quarter of the orange juice is left. The pineapple should be soft and the apricots mushy. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.