This fruit fool is served in a cream whipper – an investment, but well worth it for the light, silky texture it creates.
Ingredients
For the plum fool
- 150g/5½oz salted
butter - 100g/3½oz
sugar - 2
cinnamon sticks - 1kg/2lb 4oz
plums, halved and stones removed - 1
lemon, juice only
For the custard
- 300ml/10fl oz
double cream - 300ml/10fl oz
milk - 6 free-range
egg yolks - 50g/1¾oz
caster sugar
For the shortbread
- 175g/6oz
butter - 85g/3oz
caster sugar - 225g/8oz plain
flour - 2 tbsp dried
pink peppercorns, crushed, plus extra for serving -
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Recipe tips
Method
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For the plum fool, melt the salted butter in a pan. Add the sugar and cinnamon sticks. Add the plums and lemon juice.
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Cook on a low heat until the plums have softened to form a purée. Remove the cinnamon sticks and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve into a bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside until needed.
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For the custard, bring the double cream and milk to the boil in a pan. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together. Pour the hot cream and milk onto the eggs and whisk. Return to the pan and place on a low heat. Gently cook the custard, stirring all the time, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches 82C/180F on a cooking thermometer.
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Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl (to cool the custard quickly place a few freezer blocks in the bowl). Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to chill in the fridge
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To make the shortbread, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
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Place the butter, sugar and flour together in a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together.
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Add the pink peppercorns and pulse once more. Remove the mixture from the processor and wrap in cling film. Leave to rest in the fridge for an hour.
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On a lightly floured work surface, roll the shortbread dough out to 1cm/½in thick. Cut into the shapes of your choice and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
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Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until just cooked and dried out. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Set aside to cool.
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To serve, mix together 400g/14oz of plum purée with the custard mixture. Pass through a fine sieve and pour into an espuma gun or cream whipper. Charge with two chargers and give it a good shake. Leave to settle for 10-15 minutes.
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Spoon a little leftover purée into serving bowls. Squirt the fool mix on top, sprinkle with pink peppercorns and serve with the shortbread – or let your guests serve themselves from the cream whipper for a fun party trick.
Recipe Tips
Feel free to use whatever fruit is in season. Greengages and damsons both work particularly well.