Seriously good spiced fruit compote - Good Food Middle East

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (75cl) light, fruity red wine
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 vanilla pods, split lengthways
• 1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 12-16 black peppercorns
• 3 large oranges
• 250g organic dried apricots (or, at least unsulphured)
• 2 x 200g pkts Merchant Gourmet mi-cuit plums or 400g/14oz Agen prunes
• 4 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 500g tub low-fat fromage frais
• 6 tsp golden caster sugar