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Raspberry Fool combines whipped cream with swirls of sweetened, mashed fruit. This is one of the easiest dessert recipes around!
A memorable dessert doesn’t always mean lots of time and effort, or a lengthy shopping list! This Raspberry Fool recipe only takes a few simple ingredients and ten minutes of prep (plus time to chill).
What is a Raspberry Fool?
This classic British dessert dates back to the sixteenth century when puréed, stewed fruit (typically gooseberries back in those days) was folded into sweet custard. Modern versions, like our recipe today, replace the custard with whipped cream, and just about any kind of mashed or puréed berry or other soft fruit can be used!
According to the Joy of Baking, although British in origin – the name fool is believed to originate from the French word “fouler” which means “to mash” or “to press” – and that is exactly what we did with the raspberries in this recipe.
Why You’ll Love Raspberry Fool
- The sweet fruit and whipped cream together are simply delicious.
- It is simple to make – just a few ingredients and just a few minutes of prep.
- You can make this dessert in individual portions, or one large family-style bowl – perfect for parties.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Raspberries – We used thawed, frozen raspberries for this recipe. Fresh raspberries may be used when they are in season. (*See note below in Substitutions section.)
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is mashed in with the raspberries to sweeten the fruit and reduce any tartness.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Whip your own whipped cream using heavy whipping cream.
- Additional Fresh Raspberries – For garnish, if you’d like.
Substitutions
*If you decide to use fresh raspberries, you will likely need more than what is called for in the recipe card below. (Fresh raspberries won’t yield as much liquid as frozen. Additional sugar may be needed.
Special Supplies Needed
- Bowl and Large Spoon – For mashing the raspberries and sugar together.
- Mixer – Hand or stand mixer for whipping the cream. (Or simply use a whisk and a little bit of elbow grease!)
- Dessert Bowls – Glasses or small bowls (for individual servings) or a large dessert bowl
Cooking Tip
We did not strain the raspberry seeds out of the purée – but if you don’t like the texture of the small seeds, feel free to strain the mashed berries through a sieve before stirring into the whipped cream.
How Do I Make Raspberry Fool?
- Mash the raspberries and some of the sugar in a bowl with the back of a large spoon.
- Whip the cream and remaining sugar together, whipping to stiff peaks.
- Fold the raspberry mixture into the bowl of whipped cream, stirring just until you see ribbons of raspberry throughout the cream. (Don’t over mix – you want to see the swirls.)
- Spoon into individual serving dishes or a large dessert bowl and garnish with fresh raspberries.
- Chill for at least one hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use other fruits? Absolutely. Gooseberries are the original fruit used to make a fool, but any mashable or soft or pureed fruit can be used.
- Can I make Raspberry Fool ahead of time? Yes, you will want the dessert to chill for at least an hour before serving.
- Can I freeze Raspberry Fool? Sure – it will become more like an ice cream, rather than a creamy mousse, but you can certainly freeze it if you’d like.
You might like these other Raspberry Recipes:
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Raspberry Fool
Raspberry Fool combines whipped cream with swirls of sweetened, mashed fruit. This is one of the easiest dessert recipes around!
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the thawed berries into a small bowl along with 1/8 cup of the sugar. Using the back of a large spoon, mash the berries against the side of the bowl until you have a purée and stir to mix well with the sugar. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in the heavy cream and remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Whip on high until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the raspberry purée into the whipped cream in spoonfuls, stirring just until you see ribbons of raspberry throughout the whipped cream. (If you want, you can hold back stirring in some of the raspberry purée to get the ribbon effect you desire, and use any leftovers as a topping.)
- Spoon into individual serving glasses and chill 1 hour before serving.
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Notes
Fresh raspberries may also be used in this recipe but you will likely need more than what is called for in this recipe. Additional sugar may be needed. Also note: We did not strain the raspberry seeds out of the purée – but if you don’t like the texture of the small seeds, feel free to strain the purée through a sieve before stirring into the whipped cream.
Love trying your recipes!
Thanks Kathy!
Great recipe. I made it exactly how you indicated, then piped it into puff pastry shells (Pepperidge Farm, of course), and drizzled it with hot fudge. GET OUT! It was so amazing. Thank you!
Great idea Nikki! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I told my husband, “Hey this Raspberry Fool recipe looks good!” Him: ” You’re a raspberry fool!” Then he laughed.
Yep… I am definitely a fool for anything raspberry, lol!
Can’t wait to try this!! 🙂
Thanks Perla! You two sound like my husband Jack and I – we get very silly in the kitchen! Enjoy!
How far ahead can this recipe be made? Looking to possibly make this for my daughters school project an need to made it ahead of time.
Hi Kim – We refrigerated leftovers overnight and it was still delicious and fairly fluffy the next day. The recipe calls for fresh whipped cream so that can sometimes lose it’s fullness overtime, especially once you’ve added the raspberries. You could try adding some cornstarch to the whipped cream to stabilize it if you’d like (here’s a link for reference: http://www.thekitchn.com/technique-stabi-18384) Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing. Going to try with frozen strawberries since they’re what I have on hand. We’ll be enjoying for a family valentine dinner.
This recipe will be delicious with strawberries too Shannon! Happy Valentine’s Day!