Spiced apple & plum compote layered pud

This is so simple to make and with a little bit of jazzing up can be quite fancy for a dinner party dessert. You can use the compote with yoghurt as it is, for your kids, to jazz up your porridge or as a sauce with a baked dessert. I like this pudding layered up with coconut yoghurt, but it works equally well with natural yoghurt - or for a decadent version you can mix together whipped cream mascarpone & a little icing sugar.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

4 ripe plums

3 large apples

1tbsp honey/agave/brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4tsp ground cinnamon

Yoghurt of your choice

Ginger biscuits (or try shortbread)

Optional: pistachios, crunchy bar, dark chocolate pieces.

METHOD

1. Peel your apples and chop into 1cm pieces. Add to a pan on medium heat with a couple of spoonfuls of water, the cinnamon and ginger. Heat with the lid on until they just start to soften.

Chop your plums and add to the apples with a small drizzle of sweetener (you can add more to taste later).

2. Cook together at a gentle bubble with the lid on until all soft but still with a bit of shape to the fruit. Add more water if needed. Taste (beware it will be very hot!) and add a little more sugar if you need. Allow to cool.

3. Layer up in a glass to serve. Put a spoon of the compote in the bottom, then a layer of yoghurt and repeat for a couple more layers.

4. Add your toppings. I think ginger biscuits go so well with this and I love the Borders ginger coated in dark chocolate ones. I crunch them up and scatter on the top. An alternative to try are pistachios: lay your whole pistachios on a baking tray and brown them slightly in the oven, then crush them up a bit and sprinkle. Dark chocolate chunks are also delicious with some shortbread biscuits. Drizzle over any juice remaining in the pan.

5. It’s equally delicious just plain with the yoghurt if you want to keep things simple.

TIP! Try some star anise in the compote if you have any in your cupboard - add it when they’re cooking and remove before serving, it’s delicious.

Other fruit: this would be great with pears, or how about peaches when as start to move into summer?