I love fools -- those desserts with fruit and cream and having bought a nice box of gooseberries at the Farmer's Market, this was dessert Sunday evening . . . I love the sweet cream and the tart fruit -- it's good with rhubarb too and you can layer the cream and puree in pretty glasses if you wish. Lots of fruit can be made into fools but the soft tart fruits are especially nice.


GOOSEBERRY FOOL

3 cups gooseberries
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 c. sugar

Pull tops and tails off of gooseberries. In a saucepan, cook the berries with the 1/2 c. sugar until liquid is thickened -- about 5 minutes. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened -- about 5 minutes. Mash mixture with a fork to a coarse puree and simmer about 2 minutes more. Chill puree, covered, until cold, at least an hour and up to 1 day.

In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream until it holds soft peaks. Add sugar and beat until mixture just holds stiff peaks. Fold chilled puree into cream mixture until combined well. Fool may be made 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

Never heard of it!! Sounds like a refreshing and easy dessert to make on a hot summer's day. How many does your recipe serve?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CA Lori,

Well, Lori -- it serves the two of us!!! But I would say if you had "normal" size servings that that would be 4 to 6!

Martha