FRESH FRUIT FOOL

Steps:

• Prepare the fruit according to the type - peel, core and slice apples; trim and chop rhubarb; halve and stone plums; top and tail gooseberries.
• Place the prepared fruit in a saucepan with 3/4 of the caster sugar and the water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the fruit is very soft.
• Meanwhile, to make the custard, bring the pouring cream almost to the boil; lightly whisk the egg and egg yolk in a bowl with the remaining sugar, then stir in the hot cream and vanilla extract; place the bowl over a saucepan of gently boiling water and stir the mixture until it thickens enough to hold a slight trail and thinly coat the back of a spoon lifted out of the custard mixture. TAKE CARE NOT TO OVERHEAT the custard mixture or it may curdle.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan and cover the surface closely with plastic wrap, right on the surface, to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the custard to cool then chill in the refrigerator.
• Purée the cooked fruit in a food processor or blender, or pass it through a nylon sieve. Chill the purée for at least 1 hour.
• Whisk the cream in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks.
• Combine the custard with the fruit purée and fold it gently into the whipped cream.
• Spoon the fool into tall glass parfait glasses and chill for 2 hours.
• To serve, sprinkle with pistachio nuts or decorate with flowers, and serve with my Shortbreads Recipe #139166.
• Variations: See Soft-fruit Fool Recipe #139165.