Tart Rhubarb Fool

Traditionally, a fool is made with a sweet custard, but in this version, a homemade tart rhubarb compote is folded into a light and fluffy sweetened whipped cream. So simple yet so delicious, a Tart Rhubarb Fool is a must when rhubarb is in season!

A fool is an English dessert and traditionally, this dessert comes together very simply by gently folding some type of pureed, cooked fruit or berry into a sweet custard. I’m going against tradition here and using sweetened whipped cream instead. To make my Tart Rhubarb Fool, I’m also using a homemade rhubarb compote which is very easy to make. This is one of those desserts that you need to make with your rhubarb harvest this year!

You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb for this recipe since the rhubarb portion of the recipe is cooked anyway. I love the contrast of the tart rhubarb compote with the sweetened whipped cream, but you can add more flavour by infusing the whipped cream with really good vanilla extract, or better yet, vanilla bean paste!

VANILLA BEAN PASTE

What is vanilla bean paste anyway? Have you used it before? I’ve only just learned of it myself a few years ago. I was reading through a dessert cookbook and it seemed like every third recipe had vanilla bean paste as one of the ingredients. I was intrigued.

Vanilla bean paste is a mixture of vanilla bean seeds, sugar, vanilla extract, and some type of thickener. In most cases, it’s corn syrup. It is a pourable substance, but not like water. It is more like molasses! The best part about it is that the vanilla flavour and scent are more intense, so if you love vanilla, try it! It is certainly a less expensive way to get those characteristic black flecks of a vanilla bean into your baking. Buying and scraping whole beans is not only tedious but expensive too. If you don’t have any, or if you don’t want to buy any vanilla bean paste, you can simply use regular vanilla extract – even that is optional for this recipe!

WHAT IS COMPOTE?

You can find my Tart Rhubarb Compote recipe here. A compote is a dessert originating from medieval Europe. It is prepared using whole or chopped pieces of fruit in a sugary syrup. Many compote recipes will use seasonings and flavours such as vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon sticks or powder, cloves, etc.

You can also prepare a compote from dried fruits and berries. For example, candied fruit and raisins are quite popular in compote recipes. Historically, compote conformed to the medieval belief that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body. The name is derived from the Latin word compositus, meaning mixture.

In late medieval England, it was served at the beginning of the last course of a feast and was often accompanied by creamy potage. During the Renaissance, it was served chilled at the end of dinner. Because it was easy to prepare, made from inexpensive ingredients and contained no dairy products, compote became a staple of Jewish households throughout Europe.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Rhubarb – You will need 8 cups of rhubarb cut into one-inch lengths. (You can use frozen or fresh. If using fresh rhubarb, add 3 tablespoons of water to the saucepan with the other ingredients.)
• Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for a brighter, more refreshing flavour.
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is all you need.
• Whipping Cream

HEAVY CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Confession time – I use them both interchangeably, depending on what is available at the store, or whatever is on sale! Both of these can be quite costly. If memory serves me correctly, a 250mL carton, or one cup, here in Canada, will run just short of $5! There is a difference between the two, but not enough to concern yourself with when it comes to this Tart Rhubarb Fool.

Just in case you’re interested, the most basic difference is the amount of fat contained in both. Whipping cream has 35% fat. It can be whipped into peaks and it’s also rich enough that it won’t curdle when heated in soups and sauces. It’s nearly identical to heavy cream so if a recipe calls for heavy cream and you can only find whipping cream, feel free to use that instead. In contrast, heavy cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream, contains about 38% fat. Either of those would work well in this recipe. I used 35% whipping cream.

HOW TO USE LEFTOVER RHUBARB COMPOTE

As previously mentioned, rhubarb compote is wonderful served over ice cream. You can top your ice cream with chilled compote right from the fridge, or heat it up a little in the microwave first. It’s such a delicious and easy dessert that you can serve it with fresh strawberries. It is also quite good in layered desserts. Think about trifles or parfaits – compote would pair so well with whipped cream and/or custard layers.

Try it on toast or stir a spoonful or two into your morning oatmeal. Spoon it onto a sponge cake or onto some freshly baked scones. The possibilities are endless! You can even spoon it over roasted chicken about 10 minutes before the chicken is fully cooked. Pop it back into the oven for those last 10 minutes and dig in!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!