Fast Stewed Fruit

Cooking fruit in the microwave is super fast and super easy. You can use fresh or frozen fruit, and once cooked it can be used in lots of different dishes or frozen in batches and used when needed.

Ingredients

Cooked Apple 
600g cooking apples
1 small lemon (juice only)
1 x 15ml spoon water
1½ x 15ml spoons granulated OR caster sugar

Mixed Berries
500g mixed berries (e.g. redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries, blackberries) – either fresh or frozen. If using frozen, defrost thoroughly before use.
1 x 15ml spoon water
1–2 x 15ml spoons granulated OR caster sugar

Equipment

Weighing scales
Vegetable peeler
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Large, microwave-safe bowl with lid or clingfilm
Lemon juicer
Measuring spoons
Oven gloves
Heatproof mat
Wooden spoon or large metal or plastic spoon
Colander
Kitchen paper
Small spoon for tasting

Instructions

Apples

1. Peel the apples, cut into quarters and remove the core. Chop into even-sized chunks, between 1cm and 2cm in size.
2. Put the apple chunks in the bowl and coat with a little lemon juice to stop them going brown.
3. Add the water and stir.
4. Cover the bowl with the lid or clingfilm, leaving a gap to allow the steam to escape. Cook on full power for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through. All timings in this recipe are based on using an 800W microwave.
5. Remove from the microwave, remove the lid and stir. Allow to stand for 1 minute.
6. Allow the apple to cool slightly then stir in 1 x 15ml spoon of sugar. Taste, then add the rest of the sugar, if needed.
7. If the apple is not soft enough, cook for another minute.

Mixed Berries

1. If using fresh berries, wash thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen paper and cut large strawberries in half. Alternatively, defrost the frozen berries. (Defrost in a fridge overnight or place in a colander and pour boiling water over them.)
2. Place in the bowl and add the water if using fresh fruit, cover with the lid or clingfilm, leaving a gap to allow the steam to escape.
3. Cook on full power for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
4. Remove from the microwave, remove the lid and stir. Allow to stand for one minute.
5. Allow to cool slightly. Taste, and add the sugar gradually, if required.

Top Tips

• There is no need to add any water if using defrosted frozen
  berries as they make plenty of juice.
• Take care when removing the lid or clingfilm. Use oven gloves to remove the lid and when taking the bowl out of the microwave. Stand the bowl on a heatproof mat.
• Adding the sugar after cooking allows you to taste the fruit first. You may not need to use all the sugar, or you may need to add a little more if the fruit tastes very sharp. Add a little at a time, stir well and taste again before adding more.

Something to try next time

• Add extra flavour to the fruit by adding spices. Cinnamon, ginger or mixed spice work well. Add 1 x 5ml spoon to the fruit, once it has cooked, before you add the sugar. At Christmas time, try adding a sachet of mulling spices. Leave the sachet in the fruit until the fruit has cooled and remove before eating.
• The cooked fruit can also be used in lots of our Let’s Get Cooking recipes – Apple Triangles and Fruity Yoghurt Pots are just a couple of options. It is also ideal to serve with our Simple Semolina recipe.

Prepare now, eat later

• Store any leftover fruit, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before using.
• If you are not going to cook the apple straightaway, put the pieces into a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice. This will stop them going brown. Drain well and pat dry before cooking.