(French for Liège syrup, in Flemish) is a Belgian jam or jelly-like spread. Apple and pear are principally used, often with dates: other fruit such as apricot can be used as well. Sugar and other sweeteners are not normally needed.
Cored fruit is cooked slowly until it falls apart, releasing the pectin from the skin. The compote is then pushed through a , removing the skin, and breaking the fruit into mush. It is then reduced by slow cooking over several hours until the pectin sets, in the same way jam is, then tested by dropping a test piece into cold water. Typically, of fruit produce of syrup. The slow cooking process is essential; one guide says that cooking down should take about 10 hours.
, as its name would suggest, comes from the Liège region of Belgium, which roughly corresponds to the modern Liège Province. Many syrup makers were historically found there, though today syrup makers are primarily concentrated in the Pays de Herve region in the northeast of the province. The largest producer is Meurens in the Aubel municipality, producing two thousand tonnes of it per year under the trademark /. The area is rich in smaller producers including Charlier in Henri-Chapelle, or Delvaux in Horion-Hozémont.
Culinary uses
Its primary use is as a spread, usually on a tartine. It is often accompanied by cheese, such as Herve cheese or , the latter making a dish called .
It is also used as a sauce or part of a sauce in numerous dishes, serving as pancake sauce on boûkète, Roger Pinon, « La boûkète liégeoise et les crêpes à la farine de sarrasin en Wallonie », in La Vie Wallonne, n° 52, 1978 or on lacquemant waffles, or sauce for the cooked pear dessert of . Sauces with are even used in the meat dishes boulets à la Liégeoise (meatballs) and (rabbit).
Similar dishes Apple butter – could be considered a type of apple butter, though always includes pears and often includes other fruits as well Appelstroop – a similar Dutch spread, usually made without pears Birnenhonig – a similar Swiss spread made of pear juice Nièr beurre or black butter – a similar Jersey spread made from apples and spices Vin cuit – a similar Swiss reduction
References