British · Desserts

Strawberry Fool

A simple chilled dessert of crushed strawberries folded into softly whipped cream, sweetened lightly and spooned into glasses with no cooking.

15 min total Serves 4 servings Easy
Jump to Recipe Method

Where This Goes Wrong

Use the ripest strawberries you can find.

Whip the cream only to soft peaks.

Fold gently to keep the ripple.

Making Strawberry Fool

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  1. Slice a third of the strawberries and set them aside. Crush the rest with the sugar and lemon juice using a fork.

  2. Whip the cream to soft peaks.

  3. Fold the crushed strawberries into the cream with a few strokes, leaving ripples.

  4. Spoon into 4 glasses, top with the sliced strawberries and chill until ready to serve.

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Why the Method Works

Strawberries, cream and sugar: three things, no oven, and a dessert that looks finer than the effort that goes into it. A fool is simply crushed fruit folded into whipped cream, and the best ones are made with fruit at its ripest. Ripeness is everything.

Hull the strawberries and crush about two thirds of them with a fork, with the sugar, until they are juicy but still have some texture. Leave the rest in slices for the top. Whip the cream to soft peaks only. Stiff cream will not fold smoothly, and the fool turns heavy and buttery instead of light.

Fold the crushed fruit into the cream in a few gentle strokes, leaving ripples of red rather than blending it to an even pink. Spoon into glasses and chill for at least thirty minutes for the flavours to meet. Top with the sliced strawberries just before serving. A squeeze of lemon brightens the fruit.

After You've Cooked It

Keeps for 1 day in the fridge, covered. Do not freeze.

Serving Strawberry Fool

  • Shortbread
  • Sponge fingers
  • Sparkling wine
  • Fresh mint

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

343Calories
3gProtein
22gCarbs
27gFat
2gFibre
20gSugar
20mgSodium

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Compiled by Turab

Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.

First published .