Blueberry Fool with Yogurt Whipped Cream

Historically, there are so many theories as to why this luscious dessert is thusly named, that I won't even hazard a guess as to which might be true.  But I will tell you that after I made our lovely yogurt whipped cream, I knew it was destined for a fool. 

And what is a fool, you may well ask?  Is it just me, or is this conversation getting a little awkward.  🤔  No doubt it isn't going to get easier, but I will press on.  There are many ways to answer the previous question, but for our purposes here, a fool is an old English (14th-15th century) dessert in which mashed fruits or fruit compotes are lightly sweetened and stirred into whipped cream.  That's it.  It doesn't get much simpler than that, right?  Well, don't be fooled into thinking it tastes anything short of magnificent, because sometimes the simplest things in life really are the finest.  Case in point here.

And I'm going to venture to say that we've perhaps elevated the simple fool to somewhat lofty stature by subbing in our beautiful yogurt cream for the typical whipped cream.  We loved the almost-dense, pudding-like consistency that the yogurt brings to this party, not to mention the complex flavors it creates.  So good.

We've become ever so fond of this fool and I expect that you will too.  It's as elegant as it is simple; as effortless as it is delicious.  And here's the recipe...

Blueberry Fool with Yogurt Whipped Cream

The only trick to making this dead easy dessert is getting the consistency of the blueberries just right.  Before you stir them into the whipped cream, they should be sort of loose, but definitely not watery.  If you're using frozen berries, they will obviously give off more liquid than fresh ones.  Just use your judgement in whether to cook them a little longer to thicken or add a bit of water or liqueur to loosen.

Click here for a printable recipe

Serves 4

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons creme de cassis (black current liqueur)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups yogurt whipped cream

Place the blueberries, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the creme de cassis, if using, and gently mash the blueberries as you bring them to a simmer to release their juices. If not adding the liqueur, you can add a little splash of water if your berries aren't terribly juicy.  Continue to simmer until the blueberries are very soft, about 5-6 minutes.  They should be loose, but not watery.

Let them cool slightly and then place about 2/3 of the berries into a blender or food processor and blend until fairly smooth.  Scrape into a bowl and stir in the remaining cooked, whole berries, straining out any excess liquid.  Let cool completely.  Taste for sugar.

While the berries cook, whip your cream (here's the recipe) and once the berries have cooled (I place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes), gently stir the berries into the cream, leaving stripes of cream through the berries.  Chill and serve.