Classic Gooseberry Fool With Shortbread
Gooseberry Fool is a classic English dessert that tastes best served chilled with a piece of buttery shortbread to dunk into it.
Ingredients
For the gooseberry fool
- 650 g (4⅓ cups) Gooseberries
- 250 g (1¼ cups) White granulated sugar
- 140 ml (⅔ cup) Water
- 285 ml (1⅕ cups) Whole milk
- 3 Egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon Cornstarch (cornflour in UK)
- 285 ml (1⅕ cups) Heavy cream /double cream
For the shortbread
- 225 g (1 cup) Unsalted butter
- 110 g (½ cup) White granulated sugar
- 110 g (⅔ cup) Polenta flour
- 225 g (1¾ cups) All-purpose flour /plain flour
Instructions
For the gooseberry fool
- Add the gooseberries, water, and sugar to a large saucepan over medium heat and gently simmer for a few minutes until the fruit turns translucent. Mash into a puree, and then sieve to remove the seeds and skins. Allow to cool.
- Mix the egg yolks and cornstarch (cornflour) together in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan until it steams, just before simmering point.
- Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat whilst stirring until it thickens into a custard. Sieve, and allow to cool.
- Mix the gooseberry puree and the custard together and test it for sweetness, adding more sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
- Lightly whip the cream and fold it into the gooseberry custard. Chill before serving with the shortbread.
For the shortbread
- Preheat the oven to 300℉/150℃ (no fan), and grease and line the baking tin with parchment pap0er.
- Put the softened butter, sugar, and both flours into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix on low speed for 10-20 seconds, then turn up to medium for 1-2 minutes until a lumpy dough forms.
- Press the dough into the tin and smooth off the surface with the back of a spoon. Score cutting lines into the surface and prick all over with a fork.
- Bake 40 minutes until golden brown. Leave in the tin to cool but cut through the scored lines to form the cookies. Serve with the chilled gooseberry fool.
Notes
The acidity in gooseberries will naturally thicken the cream when you add it, so do not overwhip or your gooseberry fool will be too stiff. If it goes lumpy, just give it a whisk, and eventually, it will smooth out.
This recipe for shortbread makes 30 pieces, so you will likely have some leftovers (which brings the caloric count down somewhat).
If you have leftover gooseberry fool, either store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or add it to an ice cream machine, churn for 20 minutes, and then you have delicious gooseberry ice cream!
Nutrition
Calories: 975kcalCarbohydrates: 119gProtein: 11gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 238mgSodium: 44mgPotassium: 419mgFiber: 6gSugar: 64gVitamin A: 2202IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 147mgIron: 3mg
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