Friday, May 29, 2009

Blueberry Fool


This luscious summer dessert - a blueberry fool - is similar to one I made as a child in the kitchen of a Swedish neighbor. A fruit fool is a dessert made with stewed or puréed fruit that is folded into a beaten cream or custard and served icy cold. It's a classic British dessert that was first made in the 16th century. It is usually served when fresh fruits are abundant. The fruit most favored to use in this dessert is the gooseberry, but, as they are not easy to come by, I use blueberries. Actually, any stewed fruit can be used. Times and taste have altered the way old desserts are made and this one is no exception. Today's version comes from Fine Cooking magazine. Strangely enough, it's higher in calories than many of the older recipes. I must be honest here. The magazine's version of the recipe is absolutely delicious, but when I make it for Bob I've been known to use a vanilla pudding that's been lightened with a nondairy whipped topping. It, too, is a lovely dessert but it's far less caloric than one that uses crème pâtissière or whipped cream as its base. This is extremely easy to make and it can assembled in less than thirty minutes. It does, however, require time to chill, so be sure to plan accordingly. The stewed blueberries would be absolutely delicious as a standalone or as a sauce for ice cream. I think you'll like the simplicity of this dessert.

Blueberry Fool

Ingredients:
4 cups blueberries, rinsed, picked over, and drained
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Scant 1/8 teaspoon salt
Scant 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/4 cups cold heavy cream

Directions:
1) In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, and nutmeg. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until berries have released their juice and burst when lightly pressed with a spoon, about 6 minutes. . Increase the heat to high and reduce mixture by half, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, 6-7 minutes. Pour the compote into a bowl and refrigerate until very cold, about 4 hours. The stewed blueberries will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Taste and adjust flavorings if you like, but remember that flavors will be muted when mixed with cream.
2) In a chilled bowl, whip cream to form firm but not stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the chilled compote into the cream just until incorporated. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Just before serving, spoon remaining compote over the fool. Yield: 4 servings.




I'm sending this to Gollum at Designs By Gollum who is hostess for "Foodie Friday."

52 comments :

theUngourmet said...

This looks simply delicious. I love when you give a little history on the recipes you post. :0)

Kathleen said...

You are killing me with these blueberry desserts. I copied the crumb bars, now this..
I love blueberries..
It looks wonderful..thanks for the recipe!

Ning said...

beautiful and tempting photo! I should go out now and hoard all the blueberries I can find :)

Deb in Hawaii said...

I love fool--I make them whenever I can get fresh raspberries. Your blueberry one looks delicious!

Martha said...

Love fools although we tend to like rhubarb or gooseberry -- a bit more tart than some of the other fruits.

Love all your blueberry recipes -- wish blueberries were plentiful on the prairie --

sigh!

Katy ~ said...

I made and enjoyed my first fool a couple of weeks ago with my strawberries and it was very good. I like your blueberry one as it looks so cool and refreshing.

Hmmm... now wouldn't it be interesting to make both and alternate layers in your parfait glasses???

Kat said...

This looks and sounds delicious. I've copied all of your blueberry recipes this week, there is going to be one happy DH in the house! Kathy

Donna-FFW said...

Perfect Mary, and so simple to make. Great weeknight dessert. Love it!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Mary, your pictures are always spectacular. How you do it every time speaks for your photography abilities.
Gorgeous dessert. I really like it presented in individual servings.
Sam

Culinary Wannabe said...

What a gorgeous picture!!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Your blueberry recipe file is top rated!!

susan said...

This is new to me. I have never had something like this with stewed berries and will give it a try! Thank you for your sweet comment--dishwasher repairman coming today and picking up programs at 8--wish me luck!

Heather S-G said...

Delicious blueberries invading my brain...hurry up blueberry season. This sound fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Oh Yum!!! This looks and sounds really good. I love blueberries and would be a Fool (LOL) not to try this. Thanks!

Hootin Anni said...

Golly, you're the third one just in the last few minutes that has blueberries in their blog. Your blueberry fools will be a hit in our house, to be sure. Bud loves 'em...and so do I. Fresh blueberries are the best.

Happy Friday Mary.

Ginger said...

That is it Mary!! You have officially tipped me over the edge with all these undeniably awesome blueberry recipes!! Don't ask me to choose my favorite because they ALL are. The photo is once again amazing! What kind of camera do you have?

Chandy said...

New to your blog, but this recipe was worth the stop. It's sounds delish! We'll be picking some blackberries, maybe I can do this using blackberries! Yum! Thanks for sharing!

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Mary, I am a blueberry fool... I love anything with blueberries..so I must try this! I love the history you included with it! Happy Foodie Friday! Have a great weekend ~ Susan

Cathy said...

What a lovely, refreshing summer dessert. Another excellent blueberry recipe, Mary.

Bird Stalker Photography said...

that looks so yummy and cool just perfect for summer!

Cindy Khor said...

looks absolutely wonderful... and it needs little ingredients and simple steps... maybe i'll try to attempt this recipe

A Beach House Dreamer said...

Oh, Mary this is something. I love blueberries, they are so healthy.

Unknown said...

Oh yummy! My daughter loves blueberries. I am crazy about cream. Together, they sound like a hit! Thanks for sharing this yummy treat!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog, I'm glad I found yours. I looked at your latest posts and saw that all of them feature blueberries. I am in heaven! I love blueberries and can't wait to try some of them. The hard part will be choosing!

Bumble Bee Cottage said...

The blueberries are just becoming available in the shops here so thankyou for sharing thi recipe. I'll give it a try this weekend :)

Bumble Bee Cottage said...

Hi, I think my first comment was posted without a comment! The blueberries are looking very good in Guernsey at the moment so I'll give this recipe a try this weekend :)

The Cooking Photographer said...

Cooked fruit and cream. Always a delicious combination, and you used blueberries yay!

I am still having to go to your cached version, but I can get here a few hours after you post.

Thistlemoon said...

I love love love blueberries! This is such a great dessert to really show off that fresh blueberry taste! :)

FYI - you won a giveaway through foodieblogroll.com, we sent you an email last week, but haven't heard back - please email us at:
support (@) foodieblogroll.com for more info!

Karen said...

What a great summertime dessert this would be. My Mom used to make blueberry fool when we were kids but I have no idea what she used for the creamy part... probably vanilla pudding ;)

Pam said...

What a beautiful and delicious dessert. Another great photo.

Anonymous said...

Blueberry Galore and each awesome in their own way :)

Debbie said...

Looks delicious. I just spotted some blueberries at the local store here on sale and they look so good!!! Guess the season is starting. I'll have to try some of your blueberry recipes!!! Thanks!

oneordinaryday said...

Such a silly name, isn't it? It looks and sounds really delicious though.

Joyce said...

Less than 30 mins is my type of summer recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Joyce

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

This looks like the perfect dessert! What a scrumptious way to top off a meal.

Four Paws and Co said...

Ooohhhh, this looks absolutely heavenly! Thanks for the wonderful recipe. ☺ Diane

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

I know this dish and man is it good!!!

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

I've got to try that - blueberries are one of my very favorite fruits! Linda

Mary Bergfeld said...

Kathleen, welcome to One Perfect Bite. I hope you'll join us often.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Terry and Dennis, I'm so glad you found us. I hope you'll join us often.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Chandy, welcome to One Perfect Bite. I hope you'll join us often. You can use any fruit that renders juices in a fool, so blackberries would be wonderful.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Bev, Cindy and Beach House Dreamer, I'm so glad you found us. I hope you'll become regulars.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Rita, Kara and Bumble Bee Cottage welcome to One Perfect Bite. I hope you'll visit with us often.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Rachel, Debbie, Ordinary Day, Joyce, Diane and Butter Yum...I'm so glad you all found us. I hope you'll all become regular visitors.

NKP said...

Mmmm, I am a fool for blueberry week...

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Oh...ya know what? That looks heavenly. I was sure I could even taste it!

Cass @ That Old House said...

This looks delectable, and the post is very interesting, too. I have never made a fool. I've BEEN one, but never made one -- that will have to change!
Cass

diva said...

you've got a great blog and these fools are just lovely. thanks for the recipe. we're gonna spend the weekend out in the sun so these will be a perfect way to cool down and chill out! :) x

Vashti said...

Looks YUMMY! I love Blueberries but they are hard to find in South Africa....so sad!

CurtissAnn said...

You bet I will like this sweet desert! My DH will love it. Thanks so much.

Soma said...

Love compotes, & this food looks extraordinary. The best part of summer are the berries & the colors.

The picture is just angelic.

Rebekah Daphne said...

YUM.

I used 1 cup cranberries, 3 cups blueberries, raw sugar rather than brown, and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

We loved it. So beautiful and tasty. And probably one of the easiest desserts I've ever made :)

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