Elizabethan Custard Gooseberry Fool
Custard Gooseberry Fool is a traditional Elizabethan recipe for a gooseberry fool that uses a custard base rather than cream. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Elizabethan version of Custard Gooseberry Fool.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
40 minutes
Total Time:
60 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Dessert RecipesBritish Recipes
Original Recipe
To make the best Gooseberry Fool (from The Compleat Cook Expertly Prescribing The Most Ready Wayes, Whether Italian, Spanish Or French, For Dressing Of Flesh And Fish, Ordering Of Sauces Or Making Of Pastry)
To make a Gooseberry Fool. Take your Gooseberries, and put them in a Silver or Earthen Pot, and set it in a Skillet of boyling Water, and when they are coddled enough strain them, then make them hot again, when they are scalding hot, beat them very well with a good piece of fresh butter, Rose-water and Sugar, and put in the yolke of two or three Eggs; you may put Rose-water into them, and so stir it altogether, and serve it to the Table when it is cold.
Modern Redaction
Gooseberries started to become popular during the Tudor age and by the Elizabethan period they were used in many classic dishes such as 'Fools'. It's often thought that the classic Elizabethan fool consisted of gooseberries, cream and sugar. However, as this recipe demonstrates the classic form was more like a gooseberry custard:
Method:
Place the gooseberries in a pan with 60ml water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the gooseberries are soft. Mash the fruit with a spoon (or potato masher then pass through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the skins and pips. Return the resultant puree to the pan and place the pan on the heat and bring to a boil. Beat in the butter, rose water and sugar and mash the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon. Take off the heat, transfer to a glass bowl and place this over a pan of simmering water (basically you're making a double boiler).
Whisk the egg yolks together and add gently to the gooseberry mixture. Continue beating with a metal whisk until the mixture thickens. Take off the heat allow to cool then refrigerate until cold and serve.