Fruit Fool Food

FRUIT FOOL

Steps:

• Combine the pie filling and whipped topping. Spoon into individual dessert dishes. If desired, sprinkle each with coconut and/or garnish with mint.

FRESH FRUIT FOOL

Steps:

• Prepare the fruit according to the type - peel, core and slice apples; trim and chop rhubarb; halve and stone plums; top and tail gooseberries.
• Place the prepared fruit in a saucepan with 3/4 of the caster sugar and the water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the fruit is very soft.
• Meanwhile, to make the custard, bring the pouring cream almost to the boil; lightly whisk the egg and egg yolk in a bowl with the remaining sugar, then stir in the hot cream and vanilla extract; place the bowl over a saucepan of gently boiling water and stir the mixture until it thickens enough to hold a slight trail and thinly coat the back of a spoon lifted out of the custard mixture. TAKE CARE NOT TO OVERHEAT the custard mixture or it may curdle.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan and cover the surface closely with plastic wrap, right on the surface, to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the custard to cool then chill in the refrigerator.
• Purée the cooked fruit in a food processor or blender, or pass it through a nylon sieve. Chill the purée for at least 1 hour.
• Whisk the cream in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks.
• Combine the custard with the fruit purée and fold it gently into the whipped cream.
• Spoon the fool into tall glass parfait glasses and chill for 2 hours.
• To serve, sprinkle with pistachio nuts or decorate with flowers, and serve with my Shortbreads Recipe #139166.
• Variations: See Soft-fruit Fool Recipe #139165.

GREAT BRITISH FOOL

Steps:

• 1 To make the compote, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2 Place the fruit in a large saucepan and sprinkle with the sugar. Add enough water to just cover and bring the mixture to a boil, letting, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the fruit has completely softened.
• 3 Add the syrup, if using (elderflower works very well with gooseberries, and ginger is great with rhubarb). Check the compote for sweetness and add more sugar if you desire. Allow the compote to cool, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• 4 Whisk the cream and confectioners' sugar together until soft peaks form (it should not be too thick), then fold in the compote. Divide the fool among 6 decorative glasses and serve.

MANGO & PASSION FRUIT FOOL

Steps:

• Peel the mangoes using a vegetable peeler. Slice the cheeks off one and cut into small dice. Set aside.
• Cut the flesh from the remaining mango and stone, then purée flesh in a liquidiser. Squeeze out the seeds from 2 of the passion fruit halves and mix with the mango purée. Add lime juice to taste. Gently fold the yogurt and half the diced mango through the fruity purée.
• Divide between 4 glasses and top with the remaining diced mango. Cover and chill for 30 mins before eating. Scoop the seeds from the remaining passion fruit over the top of the fools to serve.