Berry Compote with Crispy Won Ton Strips and Vanilla Ice Cream

From the kitchen of Carly

Macerated berries soaked in wine and cassis, topped with melting vanilla ice cream and shards of crispy fried won ton. It's the contrast that kills: juicy fruit against crackle, cold against warm, refined against playful.

Berry Compote with Crispy Won Ton Strips and Vanilla Ice Cream

Berries macerated in wine and cassis collapse into their own syrup, turning sweet-tart and glossy. Won ton strips fried until they shatter make the real difference here: a crisp, salty counterpoint to the soft fruit and cold cream that keeps you coming back for another spoonful.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 cupraspberries
  • 1 cupblackberries, halved lengthwise if large
  • 1 cupquartered strawberries
  • 1/2 cupdry white wine
  • 1 tbspcrème de cassis or Chambord liqueur
  • 1/4 cupsugar
  • 1 cupvegetable oil for frying
  • 8won ton wrappers, thawed if frozen, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
  • 1 pintvanilla ice cream
  • 1confectioners sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Tumble all the raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries into a large bowl. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the wine, crème de cassis, and sugar and stir over heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then pour the warm liquid over the fruit. Give everything a gentle toss and leave it to macerate for 10 minutes.

  2. Pour enough oil into a heavy skillet to reach a depth of 1/2 inch and set it over moderate heat. To test readiness, dip a won ton strip into the oil; it should sizzle on contact. Working in 2 or 3 batches, fry the strips for about 30 seconds, nudging them with a slotted spoon until they turn golden, then lift them out onto paper towels to drain.

  3. Spoon the compote into serving bowls, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and pile the crispy won ton strips on top. Finish with a light dusting of confectioners sugar.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Won ton strips fry fast (around 30 seconds), so don't walk away. They go from golden to burnt quickly, and burnt strips taste like smoke, not dessert.
  • Macerate the berries at room temperature, not cold. The warmth draws out juice and dissolves the sugar faster, building flavor in 10 minutes instead of sitting in the fridge for an hour.
  • Dust the won ton strips with confectioners sugar just before serving. It sticks better to hot strips and won't dissolve into the fruit.

Variations

  • Skip the alcohol and add 1 to 2 tablespoons honey to the wine. The compote loses some depth but reads cleaner and works for kids.
  • Use phyllo sheets cut into strips instead of won tons. They puff up differently, creating thinner, more delicate layers, and feel less heavy.
  • Swap crème de cassis for a splash of aged balsamic. This tilts the whole thing savory-sweet and leans on the strawberries' deeper notes.

Make ahead and storage

Compote keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently or serve cold. Won ton strips are best crispy and fresh, but store in an airtight container up to 2 days and crisp in a 350°F oven for 2 to 3 minutes before plating.