Frozen Gooseberry Fool
I love making gooseberry and elderflower fool in the summer months. I also love frozen yoghurt. This idea combines the two and, being frozen, is also ideal for advance preparation, taking the stress out of the day. It's also really refreshing on a hot day: just be sure to take it out of the freezer about 20 minutes beforehand, to let it soften a little and to add the topping.
It looks spectacular on the dinner party table, yet it is really easy to assemble.
Makes one 20cm round dessert.
Ingredients
For the base
For the filling
For the topping
Method
1. To make the base, crush the Digestive biscuits in a bag using a rolling pin. Then, melt the butter in a small saucepan and mix it with the sugar and crushed biscuits. Use a potato masher to compress the biscuit base in the lined tin. Put in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
I love making gooseberry and elderflower fool in the summer months. I also love frozen yoghurt. This idea combines the two and, being frozen, is also ideal for advance preparation, taking the stress out of the day. It's also really refreshing on a hot day: just be sure to take it out of the freezer about 20 minutes beforehand, to let it soften a little and to add the topping.
It looks spectacular on the dinner party table, yet it is really easy to assemble.
Makes one 20cm round dessert.
Ingredients
For the base
- 90g butter
- 30g caster sugar
- 200g Digestive biscuits
For the filling
- 500g gooseberries
- 3½ tablespoons elderflower cordial
- 500g good quality vanilla custard
- 500g full-fat Greek yoghurt
- 125g mascarpone
- 100g creme fraiche
- 30g caster sugar
For the topping
- 100g gooseberries
- 2 dessertspoons caster sugar (1 for the gooseberries, and 1 for the creamy topping)
- 1 tablespoon elderflower cordial
- 125g mascarpone
- 100g creme fraiche
- 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tin, lined with baking parchment (ensure that the baking parchment comes above the rim of the tin, as something to hold as you ease the frozen fool out of the tin)
Method
1. To make the base, crush the Digestive biscuits in a bag using a rolling pin. Then, melt the butter in a small saucepan and mix it with the sugar and crushed biscuits. Use a potato masher to compress the biscuit base in the lined tin. Put in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
2. To make the filling, cook the gooseberries over a low, very gentle heat, in the cordial and in 3 tablespoons of water until softened. Then, add the custard and stir, the yoghurt and stir, then the mascarpone, creme fraiche and sugar, and stir. Pour over the biscuit base and freeze overnight until firm.
3. To make the topping, cook the remaining gooseberries with 1 dessertspoon of the sugar, over a very low heat with just a drop of water in the pan to prevent burning. Once the sugar has dissolved and the fruit softened (about 10 minutes), stir in the elderflower cordial.
4. Mix the remaining mascarpone and creme fraiche together with 1 dessert spoon of sugar. Remove the fool from the freezer about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Push the loose bottom upwards to release it. If it's stubborn, place the tin on a cooling tray suspended over a large bowl of recently boiled water and let the steam soften the sides a little. Just before you serve it (no earlier), spread the mascarpone-creme fraiche over the top, and drizzle with the gooseberries. Use a fork or the end of a sharp knife to swirl the cream and fruit together. Use a sharp knife to cut the fool, on a firm board.
4. Mix the remaining mascarpone and creme fraiche together with 1 dessert spoon of sugar. Remove the fool from the freezer about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Push the loose bottom upwards to release it. If it's stubborn, place the tin on a cooling tray suspended over a large bowl of recently boiled water and let the steam soften the sides a little. Just before you serve it (no earlier), spread the mascarpone-creme fraiche over the top, and drizzle with the gooseberries. Use a fork or the end of a sharp knife to swirl the cream and fruit together. Use a sharp knife to cut the fool, on a firm board.