For a summery dessert, Catherine Fulvio has given us her special recipe for two perfect summer fools: ‘The Perfect Fools’ – Gooseberry Fool with Elderflower and Blackcurrant Fool with Rosemary. Kids will love helping to make the fools, they are very simple and easy to make.

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As a child I was always given the job of picking the gooseberries – the plants are pretty thorny and over the years I’ve noticed that the clever summer birds decimate my blackcurrant patch (as much as I allow them!) but still leave the gooseberries for me. Is there some divine message there? Gooseberry fool is one of the best desserts in my world – thank goodness the season is short otherwise I’d be eating fool all summer and having to walk it off more than I do already!

Ingredients for the Gooseberry Fool with Elderflower

• 200g gooseberries, washed, topped and tailed
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp elderflower cordial
• 200ml double cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

Ingredients for the Blackcurrant Fool with Rosemary

• 200g blackcurrants, washed, topped and tailed
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 medium sprigs of rosemary
• 200ml double cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

4 sprigs of mint or rosemary, to decorate shortbread biscuits, to serve

Method for the Gooseberry Fool

1. To make the gooseberry fool, combine the berries, sugar and cordial in a medium saucepan over a low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Lightly whip the cream with the icing sugar until it reaches soft peak stage.
3. Set aside 2 tbsp of the compote, then gently combine the rest with the cream so that it creates a marbling effect.
4. If serving the fools separately, neatly spoon the mix into small glasses, top with the reserved compote and leave to set in the fridge for an hour.

Method for the Blackcurrant Fool

1. To make the blackcurrant fool, combine the berries, sugar and rosemary sprigs in a medium saucepan over a low heat and simmer for about 6 minutes until softened.
2. Leave to cool, then remove the rosemary sprigs.
3. Lightly whip the cream and icing sugar to soft-peak stage.
4. Set aside 2 tbsp of the compote and gently combine the cream with the rest of it to create a marbling effect.
5. If serving separately, neatly spoon into small glasses, top with some compote and leave in the fridge for an hour to set.

Alternatively, if serving the fools together, spoon some gooseberry fool into the base of a taller glass, followed by some of the gooseberry compote. Then top with some of the blackcurrant fool, topped with some of the compote.

To serve, place either a glass of each fool or the tall glass with both on a board or plate, decorate with mint or rosemary sprigs and serve with shortbread biscuits.

Recommended reading: 4 Refreshing Herby Simple Syrup Recipes

Catherine Fulvio, owner of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School, is one of Ireland’s most celebrated female chefs. With her effervescent charm and personality, she is both entertaining and informative.  Born and raised on a working farm, Catherine has an inherent knowledge and understanding of food and cherishes the land and its produce. She is an ardent supporter of fresh local produce and her Irish blood and her Italian heart is a winning combination.

Over to you now. Are you a gooseberry fool fan? Have you tried blackcurrant fool? Tell us in the comments below.