How to make earl grey-poached dried fruit

With soft fruits just out of reach, Julia Platt Leonard reaches for an easy store-cupboard sweet

(All photos Julia Platt Leonard)

April is a month of transitions. On the vegetable front, wild nettles, early radishes, the first spears of asparagus and jersey royals all make an appearance.

For fruit, there is rhubarb of course, but soft fruits like strawberries are still tantalisingly in the future.

So when it comes to fruit, it’s the ideal time to raid the kitchen cupboards and find some dried fruit for poaching.

Dried fruit can be turned into a compote that’s equally at home on the breakfast table with a dollop of greek yoghurt as it is as a pudding at night.

Poach the fruit in earl grey tea and you get a lovely citrus tang, boosted by strips of lemon peel, studded with whole cloves.

The poached fruit plumps up beautifully and can be stored in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to serve, reduce the cooking liquid down until it’s thickened and slightly syrupy.

(Julia Platt Leonard)

Earl grey-poached dried fruit

Serves 4-6

1l water
4 earl grey tea bags
60-80g runny honey
400g dried fruit, such as prunes, figs, pears and apricots
2 strips of lemon peel
8 whole cloves

Bring the water to a boil. Stud the lemon peel with the 8 cloves. Remove the pan from the heat and add the four tea bags and the lemon peel.

Steep for 4 minutes and then remove and discard the tea bags, leaving the peel in the liquid.

Place the dried fruit in the water along with 60g of honey, cover and let the fruit soak for around 20 minutes. Remove the lid and allow the fruit to continue soaking until the water cools down.

At this point, you can store the fruit in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, remove the fruit from the liquid and set the fruit aside.

Strain the liquid, return to a pot, and bring to a simmer.

Skim away any scum and cook until the liquid is reduced by about a half. It should be slightly thickened and glossy. Taste and add more honey if you’d like it sweeter.

Pour over the poached fruit and serve.

@juliapleonard