Elizabethan Gooseberry Fool

Elizabethan Gooseberry Fool is a traditional Elizabethan recipe for the classic gooseberry fool using cream as the base for the dessert. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Elizabethan version of Gooseberry fool.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

30 minutes

Total Time:

50 minutes

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Dessert Recipes Milk Recipes British Recipes

Original Recipe

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:

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

Prior to refrigeration storing milk was a big problem and in the cities milk was often adulterated so cream would not be generally available. However, the best families would wand to show off and would have cream and milk to hand. Thus I present here what everyone thinks of as the 'classic' Elizabethan Gooseberry fool recipe. For my redaction of the custard based gooseberry fool see the Elizabethan Custard Gooseberry Fool

Ingredients:

450g gooseberries
350ml double cream
25g butter
2 tbsp sugar

Method:

Melt the the butter in a heavy-based pan and add the gooseberries and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and allow to cook until the gooseberries are soft (about 30 minutes). Remove the fruit from a pan and beat to a pulp with a wooden spoon.

Pass the fruit through a fine-meshed sieve to extract the liquid (discard the skins and pips). Taste the puree and adjust the sugar as needed. Set the bowl aside and allow to cool completely. When cold whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the cold gooseberry puree.

Divide into small glasses and chill in the fridge before serving.