Guest Contribution - Mum's Blackcurrant Fool

"When we started our garden we discovered that blackcurrants were very easy to grow and were very prolific. We had mountains of fruit that kept us supplied with delicious jam with plenty left to put in the freezer. Michael’s mother used to tantalise us with stories of the black and redcurrants she used to eat as a child, with lashings of cream from their farm.  As a result Blackcurrant Fool became part of our Summer repertoire. It is an easy and luscious dessert that never fails to get the taste buds tingling!"

How to make Blackcurrant fool

• First, pick your blackcurrants.
• Make a sugar syrup by dissolving 450g of sugar in 600ml of water. Bring this solution to the boil for 2 minutes, and allow to cool.
• Put 3 cups of blackcurrants into a saucepan and just cover them with the syrup solution.
• Cook them on a gentle heat until the fruit bursts. Now allow it to cool.
• Purée with a blender or a processor and sieve the mixture with a nylon sieve. 
• Add it to an equal quantity of softly whipped cream.
• Pour it into a deep bowl. I use an old cut glass bowl that I inherited from my Godmother.
• Decorate with a few whole blackcurrants and /or some blackcurrant leaves if you have them.

Spooning the Fool!

Cooks notes:

This recipe works just as well with gooseberries.

For a healthier option, use half cream and half good quality Greek yogurt..or Crème Fraiche.

The fool also looks good in individual glasses.

The syrup will keep for a week or two in the fridge.

Rory's tip:

The sugar syrup is also very useful for any number of cocktails!

Raiding the Vegetable Patch!

I took time out last weekend to spin down home and raid the vegetable patch.  I didn't want to see all those fresh fruit and veg. going to waste while the parents were away. Dad has always worked hard at maintaining a good supply of the best potatoes, onions, lettuce, runner beans, gooseberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and courgettes, to name but a few. For as long as I remember we have been treated summer after summer by Dad to the freshest garden produce, with the support of a key ingredient - quality local manure!

The lettuce is always crunchier and more flavourful than anything I have ever bought.  The courgettes will range from baby to full-on marrows. And I will always make a particular effort to seek out the new potatoes.  At the age of 10 or so I remember being incredibly impressed by the combination of boiled new potatoes, real butter and little pinch of salt.  Prior to this I had no appreciation of salt's importance to bringing out the best in food.  It is still a summer favourite!   

The berries are put to good use too, with jams and fools making a particular mark at family gatherings and events.  Gooseberry fool is an essential addition to weekend desserts, and credit goes to the gooseberries as much as the lashings of cream.  The blackcurrant jam is likely to feature in sponge cakes or bakewell tarts throughout the rest of the year. 

Anything to distract from the cleaning!

In an effort to distract from the pain of cleaning the house the week before last, I decided to attempt a pavlova for Claire and a couple of her workmates, who were coming over for dinner the following day.  It is not like I have ever made one, and I didn't exactly do a lot of research into the process... I kind of assumed that since I have eaten many of my aunt Mary's pavlovas I would naturally know what to do.  Turns out I was not far off.... although I have since had my methods refined by Tom's Will, and plan further consultation with Mary.

My very basic recipe: beat three egg whites until very firm and peaky with about 150 grams of icing sugar and bake it at 100 degree centigrade for 45 minutes on some greaseproof parchment.  Cornmeal and dash of white wine vinegar I am now told are useful additions to keep the pavlova soft and guey rather than crisp and meringuey.

There are a couple of notes.  Firstly sorry Jenny and Mark that I did not bring you any down but I wasn't sure how much the guys would demolish.  It turns out...most of it!

Secondly, I lathered mine in cream.  That is probably why it tasted so good.