Been wondering how to jazz up your daily breakfast without a major kitchen ordeal? We’ve got just the thing: A jammy breakfast topping that’s easy enough for hectic weekday mornings. Imagine a fruit compote, but without sugar or pectin additives, and a much quicker process. Instead of boiling, mashing, nursing, and simmering the fruit as when making compote, this quick alternative requires just frozen fruit and a short sizzle in a stovetop pan.
Just take a bag of frozen strawberries, blackberries, peaches, or any fruit you love, and dump it in the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir briskly until the fruit begins to soften and release its juices. This should only take about five minutes. You’re not looking for a spreadable consistency or even a juicy, pourable one. You want those lovely fruity chunks swimming in a soft, naturally sweet puddle.
Now’s the fun part — ladling the sweet, warm, juicy fruit over anything that strikes your morning fancy. Drizzle your creation over waffles, scones, French toast, or cream cheese bagels. Stir it into yogurt, slide it into muffin batter, or nestle it alongside eggs or hash browns for a tiny touch of fruity sauce in every bite. You can also use it as a substitute for actual jam. Let it cool, then spread it over toast. Or take things next-level by creating a warm, fruit-forward PB&J breakfast sandwich — with crispy fried bacon, if that’s your thing. There’s also the option to introduce nuanced flavors.
Upgrade your homemade jam with tasty ingredients
Like most foods on the planet, your jammy breakfast topping could really soar with a bit of spice. It doesn’t have to be tongue-tingling spicy, unless preferred. Options could range from sprinkles of warm cinnamon or allspice to grated ginger for a peppery sweetness. Fresh, earthy, chopped herbs tossed on at the last minute take your fruit topping in endless directions. Experiment with rosemary, mint, oregano, or thyme. A good rule of thumb is to match the spice to the type of fruit, whether it’s cinnamon with apples, mango with cardamom, or plums with turmeric.
Then there’s flavoring with sweet, tart, or vinegary liquid magic. Try a dash of sriracha in your melty fruit topping, or fold in some vanilla extract and drizzle the mixture over sweet breads, pastries, or muffins. Just because you cooked this topping without the addition of sugar or thickeners doesn’t mean you can’t sweeten it up later. Honey is a natural complement to stewy fruits; mixing it with your homemade breakfast topping adds richness and thick texture. The same goes for authentic maple syrup, which pairs well with apples, strawberries, pears, and tart or acidic fruits. To keep from overpowering the luscious fresh-fruit flavor, add only a small amount of honey or syrup.
Whether you’re punching up your morning oatmeal, adding depth to creamy Greek yoghurt, or sweetening up bowls of granola, this jammy fruit sauce might be the easiest magic wand in your kitchen bag of tricks. Waive it with sticky abandon.
