Friday, September 2, 2016

Fresh Berry Fool – It Would be a Pity Not to Make This for Labor Day

There are like a thousand approved ways to combine sweet cream and fresh fruit, but this gorgeous fool may be my favorite. Of course, the easy-to-joke-about name helps, but what I really love is how surprisingly light this is. It's also very easy, which seems totally appropriate for a possible Labor Day dessert.

While certainly not light on the calorie counter, this stuff is shockingly airy on the palate. It’s that contrast between the rich, fluffy cream, and the syrupy, tangy fruit, which makes this so much greater than the sum of its parts. Fresh berries are a classic, but this would work with peeled, diced, ripe peaches.

By the way, contrary to what you heard in the introduction, this isn’t called a “fool” because it’s so ridiculously simple to make. Apparently, it comes from the French word, "fouler," which means "to mash." I guess we’ll let you decide which story to go with. I think you know which one I prefer. Either way, I really do hope you get this fool a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for four large portions:
3 cups fresh berries (raspberries, broken blackberries, quartered strawberries)
1/4 to 1/3 cup white sugar (more sugar you use the more syrup you get)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup crème fraiche (yogurt or sour cream maybe subbed - *if using yogurt or sour cream, stir into the cream once it’s almost fully whipped)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup crumbled butter shortbread cookies, or vanilla wafers

14 comments:

Mike said...

That wonderful chef from Food Wishes,
Has shared with us succulent dishes.
His puns we do roux,
And the rhythms turn us bleu,
But his lessons do teach us what bliss is.

Alicia said...

Fabulous! I am definitely making this for Labor Day! Have some friends coming over and usually I do plain old vanilla ice cream with Kahlua...but they will love this!

rodentraiser said...

I am licking the monitor. Thanks, Chef John, now I gotta go get the Windex and clean it!

Chris K. said...

My Catholic grandmother always told us maceration will make you go blind.

Karen said...

Should we wait until we are alone to macerate?

Unknown said...

I am trying this recipe today since it is so easy to make and i think i better hurry fall is coming. lol

Unknown said...

That was amazing!!!!

Unknown said...

I just made this for my family just the other day. Great minds think alike. Wow chef John and I think alike, whodathunkit


Lupe said...

Thanks Foolwishes dot com, that looks delicious. Will forward to my dessert department ;-)

SAMARAI 3000 said...

^ Best comment ever.

m said...

Looks delicious. I will defy add it to Fitatu calorie counter, cause I am gonna eat this for whole next week every day :P

JPJ said...

Chef John, at 2:38 you say that you'll explain in the blog post why you chose those biscuits...but you didn't!

Am sad.

MmeLaRue said...

A variation on this would be to substitute the biscuits with meringues, the result being the dish known as Eton Mess.

By the way, John, I'd love to see your take on Summer Pudding. 8)

Zen 143 said...

Hi Chef John, I've been so taken by you, your recipes and the ease of it all. Tonight, I made the Gnocchi with a Chicken, Vodka Sauce, a Perconio Romano Cheese. OMGOSH, the very bes dish ever. I then made the Berry Fool dessert which was a big winner. I truly enjoy your videos, blog page and your humor. Thank you for sharing your expertise on delicious meals. I am a true follower of FOOD WISHES.com.

Nim

Oakland, CA