Gooseberry Fool

Don’t fall into the trap of calling them ‘goose berries’ – like berries that a goose might enjoy! Instead, they are pronounced ‘guuzberries.’ 

So, try saying ‘good’ but replace the ‘d’ with ‘z’.

If you grew up in the English countryside, chances are you would have had a gooseberry dessert at some point. Or maybe even enjoyed them straight off the bush!

Popular throughout Europe and increasingly sought out in the States, gooseberries are a lesser-known berry that have been traditionally used in pies and sweet desserts for centuries.

When they’re ripe, they have a reddish-purple colour with a jammy sweetness and when they’re unripe they’re green and tangy. 

The reason gooseberries aren’t as common in the US as they are throughout Europe is because they were banned! In 1911, a federal ban was placed on the cultivation of gooseberries, as they acted as a host for ‘white pine blister rust’, a condition that kills pine trees.

Still, the ban was repealed in the 1960s, replaced with careful regulations. Now gooseberries are making a comeback in the US. In the UK and throughout Europe, they are definitely still under-appreciated, although more and more dessert recipes are focused on this delicious, underrated fruit.

Gooseberry fool is a great way to feel less guilty about eating desserts! In fact, any kind of fruit fool is. Gooseberries, in particular, have many healthy benefits. Here are a few:

Gooseberries are rich of antioxidants
They are high in fibre and low in calories
They are packed with nutrients and good for you heart
Gooseberries are easy to add into your diet. Add them to your cereal, munch them as a snack or make a dessert like this gooseberry fool!

Fresh is best! Not too fresh mind… you want some tang to contrast with the sweet creaminess of the fool.

Gooseberry is a common fruit in the UK in terms of growth, but it’s still underused. You should be able to find them in most large supermarkets and quality grocers.

Gooseberry season is between May and September, with the best gooseberries growing in the middle of Summer, between June and August.

Another great option is to forage for gooseberries. They thrive in cooler climates, which makes them perfect for growing in the UK. Look in hedgerows and woodland areas, along streams and riverbanks. Follow a foraging guide and you’ll get enough gooseberries to cook lots of different recipes!

If you plan to use them within a few days, store them in a cool dry place. Otherwise, you can chill them for up to a week in the fridge. Just cover them in a shallow container.

Don’t wash gooseberries until you’re ready to use them. The moisture can speed up the decaying process, so they won’t stay as fresh as they normally would.

Fruit fools go way back to the 15th century. Back then, they were called ‘fooles.’ 

While strawberries, apples, rhubarb, raspberries and other seasonal fruits were all used in a fruit fool, the first and original of the fruit fool recipes was most likely the humble gooseberry fool. 

By the 18th and 19th centuries, gooseberry fools were hugely popular throughout the UK and France, as well as the rest of northern Europe.

I’m definitely a fool for a gooseberry fool! Still, the term ‘fool’ doesn’t refer to a dumbstruck foodie, hypnotised by the sheer deliciousness of this divine dessert.

Instead, the term comes from the French word ‘fouler’ meaning to crush – hench crushing up the fruit before folding it into the cream.

When making a gooseberry fool, the gooseberries will need to be topped, tailed and washed, before being cooked in the pan.

A gooseberry fool is best eaten straight away, in one delicious sitting! However, you can keep it in the fridge up to 24 hours before you serve it. Just be sure to keep it covered.

I definitely don’t recommend it! This is one dish that really needs to be made to eat the same day. If you’re not sure you’ll want to eat it all, don’t make it!

Don’t overdo things – the beauty of a fruit fool is the simplicity of flavour. A sprig of mint and some chopped nuts would be perfect.