Gooseberry fool is a classic British summer pudding, but have you tried blackcurrant fool? When blackcurrants are in season, it makes a delicious alternative to this easy to prepare dessert. Tart and flavoursome fruit pair well with smooth rich cream. The colour is superb and it makes an attractive end to any meal. It’s particularly good if you’re entertaining as it’s not only indulgent, but can be prepared well ahead.
Seasonal Blackcurrants
Stand back blueberries, blackcurrants are in season! Now is the time to scour supermarket shelves, greengrocers and farmer’s markets for this very delightful but short seasoned uber healthy British berry. You might, of course, be growing your own and wondering what on earth you’re going to do with all those currants.
Do you remember that rather wonderful post I published a couple of weeks ago, all the blackcurrant recipes you will ever need? Well, it didn’t include one of my favourite blackcurrant recipes, blackcurrant fool. It does now.
As you may recall, CT bought home more than a kilo of blackcurrants just before that post went live. I managed to freeze a couple of bagfuls and I made a number of drinks and smoothies from them. But I also made this blackcurrant fool with fresh mint & rose.
Blackcurrant Fool with Fresh Mint & Rose
Blackcurrant fool with fresh mint & rose is a brilliant summer dish as no oven is needed. Who wants to spend time in an already hot kitchen with the oven on? Not me for one. The fool is quick to make, looks superb and can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. It’s also full of fresh and vibrant flavours.
My blackcurrant fool is based on a traditional gooseberry fool, only the colour is more interesting. The idea is to stew the fruit then combine it with whipped cream. Rather than mix the two together, I’ve gone for a slightly more modern look. I’ve dolloped the blackcurrants and cream into the glasses and then swirled them a little with a skewer.
Mint and blackcurrants are one of those flavour combinations that just works. Rose also pairs well with blackcurrants, but mint is more robust and stands up better to the intensity of this particular fruit. So, I’ve cooked up the blackcurrants with some mint and whipped rose syrup into the cream.
If you don’t have any rose syrup, you can use a spoonful of icing sugar instead with a little rose water or rose extract. Another option is to add some cassis to the blackcurrants after they’ve cooked.
I’ve also lightened the cream a little by adding Greek yoghurt. I do this a lot when using whipped cream in desserts. This gives a delightfully fresh flavour, fewer calories and a few healthy bacteria – got to be a good thing.
You’d be a fool not to love my blackcurrant fool.
Hints, Tips & Alternatives
- For a sweeter taste and silkier texture, try using custard instead of the yoghurt. Or you might prefer just the cream on its own.
- Add more (or less) sugar to the blackcurrants depending on how sweet or tart you like your berries.
- Mix the currants with the cream for a more traditional fool dessert.
- Cooked blackcurrants have a slightly seedy texture. Purists may like to pass them through a sieve. I don’t mind them just as they are and luckily, nor does CT. Sieving blackcurrants is a bit of a faff, but if you want a really smooth texture, it’s probably worth it. This especially holds true if you want to mix them up with the cream.
- Omit the rose from the cream and add elderflower cordial or lemon zest with a little icing sugar instead.
- For a truly adult pud, add some cassis to the blackcurrants after they’ve cooked.
- Serve with thin shortbread biscuits, sponge fingers, langues de chat or similar, if liked.
- If you can’t get hold of fresh blackcurrants, you might have better luck with frozen ones.
Other Summer Creamy Fruit Recipes You Might Like
- Champagne syllabub with orange rhubarb compote via Tin and Thyme
- Cookie cheesecake parfait with berries via Veggie Desserts
- Dark chocolate Eton mess via Tempting Recipes by Amy Treasure
- Easy strawberries & cream dessert via Tin and Thyme
- Eton mess via Greedy Gourmet
- Lemon posset via Apply to Face Blog
- Matcha green tea cheesecake pots with blueberries via Tin and Thyme
- Raspberry mousse via Recipes Made Easy
- Raspberry syllabub with chardonnay vanilla biscuits via Tin and Thyme
- Roasted plum parfait with lemon curd via Tin and Thyme
- Summer strawberry mousse via Farmersgirl Kitchen
- Vegan strawberry mousse with pistachio shortbread via Baking Explorer
- White chocolate strawberry mousse via Fab Food 4 All
If you’re looking for more blackcurrant recipes, I have several on Tin and Thyme. And you’ll find even more over on my blackcurrant Pinterest board.
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Blackcurrant Fool – The Recipe
Blackcurrant Fool with Fresh Mint and Rose
Ingredients
Blackcurrant Compote
- 300 g blackcurrants
- 75 g golden granulated or caster sugar
- 1 large sprig of mint
- 1 tbsp water
Rose Cream
- 150 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp rose syrup (or 1 tsp icing sugar with ½ tsp rose water or 1 drops of rose extract)
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Instructions
Blackcurrant Compote
- Remove any blackcurrant stalks and wash gently in cold water water. Place in a small pan along with the sugar and mint. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until the blackcurrants are soft and slightly jammy.
- Leave to cool, then remove the mint.
Rose Cream
- Whip the cream and rose together with a hand whisk or electric beaters until the cream just holds its shape. Be careful not to over whip or you’ll end up with an unpleasant texture or even butter.
- Gently stir in the yoghurt.
- Place alternate spoonfuls of the blackcurrants and cream into serving glasses or dishes. Use a skewer to swirl the mixtures together a little. Alternatively mix the two together before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Sharing
I’m sharing my delectable summer blackcurrant fool with Curly’s Cooking for #CookBlogShare.
This is so simple and delicious, it certainly looks it – great photos! I love the addition of mint in the blackcurrant compote.
Thanks Monika. Mint, I’ve found, pairs really well with blackcurrants.
Wow, what a beautiful combination – I would have never thought of putting rose and blackcurrant together. Sounds amazing!
I just become a bit of a rose fiend in the summer. I adore roses and the flavour goes so well with summer fruit.
Black currants are so GOOD for you…this is for sure one of the healthiest desserts.
I’m glad you said that Angie. I shall indulge now and not feel in the slightest bit guilty 😀
This dessert looks so luscious with the cream and currants just plopped together in the bowl and not mixed together.
I wonder what it would be like with just plain Greek Yoghurt with the Rose mixed in? For BREAKFAST!! That would start the day off nicely.
Now see what you have started!! 🙂 the ideas are endless.
You will have to try it and report back Mary. The blackcurrants might be a bit sharp with only yoghurt, but you can always add a little more sugar if you find it so.
Yes please! I love the pillowy cream with rose – what a great addition! I need more blackcurrants in my life!
If I whip up cream and haven’t run out of rose syrup, I invariably add a bit. It’s so good.
Rose cream sounds divine with the tangy blackcurrants!
It’s a most delicious combination Kate. But then rose cream goes well with so many things 😀
Goodness me I will be trying this – it looks and sounds incredible. Just my type of desert. Yummy!
If you like blackcurrants, this is a fabulous dessert. It’s also a nice simple one, which is just what you want in the summer.
ooh I love mint with blackcurrants, such a perfect flavour combination and the sweet floral notes of the rose will just complete a delicious dessert.
Thanks Janice. We don’t have enough mint in the garden and I’m running out. It’s such a wonderful herb to use in the summer.
What a fantastic colour! I don’t remember the last time I ate a blackcurrant so this has definitely made me want to find some! Such a lovely looking summer pudding. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare.
Thanks Cat. Now is the time for blackcurrants. They probably won’t be around for more than another couple of weeks.
Oh they look absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks Kat. I sort of thought swirled was a bit more elegant than all mixed together.
ohh yum I love f6ruit fools, so much so I’m about to write up my own gooseberry fool recipe. I love the idea of blackcurrant in a fool so I must try this with some of my home grown blackcurrants.
Gooseberry fool is the real deal for sure and I love it. But I have to say this blackcurrant fool is pretty good too.
Ooh this dessert sounds utterly delightful, love the addition of mint and rosewater syrup, 2 flavours I’d never have thought to add but can imagine how well they go together with the blackcurrants and cream!
Mint and blackcurrants are a surprisingly good pairing. But rose just seems to go beautifully with all summer fruit.
Oh my goodness, Choclette… this looks and sounds amazing! I love fool at the best of times (esp goosegog!) but this takes it to a whole new level. Definitely Pinning for later! xx
Ooh yes, I love a goosegog fool too. But gooseberries are a bit harder to get hold of at the moment. But we’ve inherited some on our allotment, so holding up for next year. What would you use instead of the cream? Coconut cream?