Blackberry Fool

blackberryfoolthumb.jpgSeptember 2014 - The blackberries seem a bit late this year, but now they're here, they're fantastic!

Let's make something that really shows off their delicious flavour and aroma - Blackberry Fool.

Blackberries

blackberryfool12.jpgI often think the delicious smell of freshly-picked blackberries is equal to anything about the way they taste - and in many blackberry recipes, this aroma is lost or overpowered.

However, with this recipe for blackberry fool, that fresh-picked aroma comes through in the finished product - it's about as blackberry-flavoured a thing as can be without just being a blackberry.

The Recipe

Serves at least 6 people

Ingredients:

  • 500g Fresh (or thawed frozen) blackberries
  • 300ml Double cream (48% fat)
  • 150g white sugar
  • 150g Greek style yoghurt
  • Juice of half a lemon

Method:

blackberryfool2.jpgPick out and set aside about 10 or 12 of the best-looking, most plump and ripe of your blackberries - to be used as a garnish when serving.

blackberryfool3.jpgPlace the blackberries in a saucepan and add the lemon juice - don't worry if the lemon pips go in, as the whole lot will be strained after cooking.

Don't add the sugar yet.

Place the pan over a gentle heat and allow it to come up to a simmer.

blackberryfool4.jpgWhile the blackberries are cooking, crush them with a potato masher or slotted spoon, to release their juice.

It should only take about 10 minutes of gentle cooking for the fruit to completely break down - remove from the heat as soon as this happens.

blackberryfool5.jpgrain the fruit through a sieve - work it around with the back of a spoon so that both juice and fruit pulp come through.

Keep going until no more pulp is dripping through the sieve and the remaining contents of the sieve start to seem dry and clingy.

Scrape the pulp off the bottom of the sieve with a clean spoon, so as not to waste it. Dispose of the seeds.

blackberryfool6.jpgAdd about three quarters of the sugar to the pulp mixture and stir it in to dissolve.

Reserve one quarter of the sugar until the juice mix is cool - and only add it after tasting - depending on the acidity of your blackberries and lemon, you may or may not need it at all.

The flavour of the sweetened juice and pulp should still be sharp and acidic - not unbearably sour, but not syrupy sweet either.

blackberryfool7.jpgWhen the juice is completely cool, whip the cream in a large bowl.

beat to the point of 'soft peaks' - that is, thick enough not to settle back flat when the whisk is pulled out, but not so thick that it starts to 'break' or look rough.

blackberryfool8.jpgAdd the yoghurt to the cream and fold it in with a spoon.

You can use unflavoured Greek style yoghurt, but for an extra bit of sweetness, I used yoghurt flavoured with a little honey.

blackberryfool9.jpgYou could now just mix everything together into a uniform mix, but I think it looks nicer (and is more interesting to taste) if there is some marbling, so:

Transfer three quarters of the cream/yoghurt mix into a serving dish. Set aside the remaining quarter.

Add about two thirds of the blackberry mix to the cream in the serving dish. Stir it together thoroughly.

Add the rest of the cream and some more of the blackberry mix into the centre of the blended mixture. You can also reserve a little serving jug full of the blackberry juice for pouring over at the table.

blackberryfool10.jpgFinally, using a table knife, swirl the contents of the bowl about to partially mix and marble them.

blackberryfool11.jpgPlace in the fridge for at least an hour - the blackberry fool will thicken further as the acid content reacts slightly with the cream.

Serve chilled with crisp biscuits or cookies, garnished with whole blackberries.

Serve chilled, garnished with whole blackberries and accompanied by crisp biscuits or cookies. (I used some cinnamon sugar crackers, and this was a very nice combination).

blackberryfool1.jpg