This quick and refreshing plum fool dessert is made up of layers of lightly cooked and sweetened plums and freshly whipped cream. A fool is one of the easiest desserts to make and is a great way to enjoy in-season fruits.
Fool is an English dessert dating back hundreds of years. Traditionally, it was made by cooking and pureeing fruit and then folding the puree into custard. Today, freshly whipped cream is more commonly used in place of the custard, which makes it quicker and easier to prepare.
Gooseberries were the original fruit of choice for this dessert, but just about any fruit is possible to use in a fool. I don't think I've ever had gooseberries, anyway.
While they're delicious any time of year, fools are especially good in the summer as a light and refreshing option that doesn't require the need to heat up your oven or spend much time in the kitchen instead of enjoying the outdoors.
One of my favorite fruits to use in this dessert is plums, especially these small Italian plums. Also called European plums or Italian prune plums, these egg-shaped, deep purple-hued fruits are green on the inside and so sweet and delicious.
They're ripe towards the end of summer and I often like to go pick them at one of my favorite orchards, Champlain Orchards, located in nearby Shoreham, Vermont. But when that's not possible, I've also found them at my local Hannafords.
🍇 Ingredients
You only need four ingredients to make this plum fool recipe. I tried to keep it as simple as possible.
- Heavy cream - Necessary for making fresh whipped cream. I love using local dairy from Monument Farms.
- Plums - Look for plums that are firm, without bruises, and that have a little give when you give them a bit of a squeeze. Any kind of plum works, though if you can find the Italian prune plums, give them a try!
- Maple syrup - For adding a little sweetness to the whipped cream and the fruit.
- Ginger snaps - I like to serve a fool with something crunchy, like a gingersnap or two. If you have a favorite cookie that you think would go well, feel free to use that instead.
🍓 Variations
- Other fruits - Aside from plums, you can use any berry or stone fruit, rhubarb, or apples to make a fool. Use an equal amount, cooking your fruit longer, if necessary, to break it down and release its juices.
- Flavor the whipped cream - Try adding flavor to the whipped cream using vanilla, almond, or mint extract. Or try adding a splash of your favorite liquor.
- Use the fool as part of another dessert - Such as a filling for the layers of a cake. Or maybe use it to top waffles. I've also seen people use it to fill a pie crust and then freeze the whole thing.
- Make one big fool - Instead of individual servings, you could also prepare the fool in one large serving dish. This would be good for a picnic or party.
- Even quicker version - If your fruit is especially soft and ripe, you could skip cooking it. After chopping, try mashing it up a bit instead to release the juices.
🔪 Instructions
Wash the plums. Remove the pits and roughly chop.
Add the chopped plums to a small pan with a splash of maple syrup.
Cook the plums over low heat for about 10 minutes until softened and juices are released. Let cool completely.
Pour the heavy cream into a bowl with a splash of maple syrup and use the whisk attachment to beat until fully whipped.
Store the whipped cream in the fridge until the fruit has cooled and you're ready to assemble the fool.
Layer the fruit and whipped cream in serving glasses. Top with a cookie or two and serve.
Another option is to fold the fruit and whipped cream together before dishing it out into glasses and skip the layering. Personally, I think the layers make a nice presentation and make this dessert look much fancier than it is. But if that doesn't matter, fold the fruit into the whipped cream and dish it out into glasses or bowls.
💭 Top tip
Be sure to cool down the fruit completely before assembling. Hot or warm fruit will cause the whipped cream to melt. To speed up the cooling process, pop the fruit in the fridge or freezer.
🍨 Storage
This plum fool should keep for two or three days in the fridge. I suggest storing the fruit and whipped cream in separate containers and assembling them just before serving.
📋FAQ
Plums are sweet and sour. However, it depends on the variety and how ripe they are when you eat them. Italian plums have a deeper and sweeter flavor.
Although you can usually find plums year-round in supermarkets, here in Vermont, you'll usually find them in season from mid-August to October.
Absolutely. There's no need to peel a plum before eating it. Just wash the skin first.
In addition to this recipe, you can freeze sliced plums for future enjoyment or make them into a jam. They would also work well in place of apples in this crisp recipe or in these crepes.
🍦Related
Looking for other recipes like the plum fool? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Plum Fool
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This refreshing plum fool dessert is made up of layers of lightly cooked and sweetened plums and freshly whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of plums
- 16 ounces heavy or whipping cream
- maple syrup, to taste
- ginger snaps or other cookies, for topping
Instructions
- Slice the plums and remove the pits. Chop into small pieces. Add them to a small pan with a splash of maple syrup. Cook until the fruit is soft and the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, using a mixer, whip the cream with a splash of maple syrup until stiff peaks form. Taste and add more maple, if needed.
- When the fruit has cooled, layer the fruit and whipped cream in glasses and top with a cookie. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Notes
In a hurry or don't care about the presentation so much? Fold the fruit and whipped cream together before dividing into serving dishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: English
Keywords: plums, plum fool, fool dessert, whipped cream, maple syrup
Steve
★★★★★