Instructions

1. Place a couple saucers in the freezer and sterilise your jars. Do this by washing the jars and lids thouroughly in warm, soapy water and then placing them in a low heat oven until required.
2. Place the pears, apples, lemon zest and juice, ground ginger, water, vanilla bean pod and its beans into a heavy based saucepan and over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes until the fruit is soft. Add the caster sugar and stem ginger and continue to heat until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Turn the heat to high and cook at a rapid boil for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from sticking, until the fruit has thickened.
4. Remove from the heat and place a small dollop onto the cold saucer. Push your finger through the dollop and if it stays separate the compote is ready. If it isn’t ready then return the pan to the heat for another five minutes before testing again.
5. Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard, then laddle the compote immediately into sterilised jars leaving 2cm from the top and seal immediately with a screw top lid. Cool completely before using.