Noted pastry chef, Joanne Chang, gives her apple compote an extraordinary twist by integrating rum into the recipe. Smooth, deep, and not your usual apple butter, it pairs perfectly with her apple-rum spice cake. Topped with a layer of airy chiffon and a ginger-cream cheese frosting, this dish will also work well on buttered scones, waffles, or latkes.

Joanne Chang came up with a clever way to keep the rum's caramelized flavor in the compote without overpowering it with the booze. The secret is in "flambéing" - a dramatic but safe method to burn off some of the alcohol. This step is taken after the apples have been cooked with brown sugar and other ingredients. The skillet is taken off the heat and rum is added, then lightened with a match. What you'll light up is actually the alcohol vapor that is produced when the rum hits the heated pan. You'll then shake the skillet until the flames naturally fade, place it back on the heat, and let the remaining rum reduce. Although flambéing does not get rid of the majority of the alcohol content, it softens its taste and contributes an interesting layer of complexity to its flavor.

To prepare this enticing compote, gather the following ingredients: you’ll need an apple (McIntosh, Braeburn, or Fuji would work), a Granny Smith apple, some brown sugar, flour, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, gold rum (Bacardí, for instance), lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

To begin, mix the apples with the sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a skillet. Let it sit at room temperature and stir occasionally until the sugar starts to dissolve - this will take about half an hour. Cook this apple mix in the skillet, stir frequently until soft, for about five minutes. With the heatproof cup with a pour spout, pour the rum into the skillet. Take it off the heat and turn off the burner. With a long match, very carefully, ignite the fumes just above the rum mixture. Then, shaking it gently, you'll extinguish the flames after a minute. Place the skillet back on heat and cook it, making sure to stir, until the liquid almost fully evaporates, in about two minutes. After taking the pan off the heat, smash the apple mix with something like a potato masher or a fork until it is mostly smooth and then stir in the lemon juice and the vanilla. Allow it to completely cool for about half an hour at room temperature.

The compote, which can be made three days prior, should be stored in an airtight container in your fridge.