STRAWBERRY FOOL WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

A dessert not for the chocolate lover, but for the one who loves something a little bit different.. yup! That’s DEFINITELY the Strawberry Balsamic Fool. This dish has been around for years.. seriously- since the 17th century! It’s almost like a trifle in the sense of it’s composition… but the ingredients differ a little. This is way lighter, and honestly- so different from anything I’ve made before! I did mine filled with a mascarpone cream and in my opinion, it was delish.

Here’s the full recipe with a few spins I decided to incorporate that you may not find in any regular Fool (or “Foole”) dessert out there. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY FOOL WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:

• 4 cups (576 g) strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved or quartered

• ⅓ cup (83 ml) white balsamic vinegar (see Chef’s Tips), or Grand Marnier, or Citrus juice

• ¼ cup (54 g) golden yellow sugar

• ¼ tsp (2 g) salt

• ¼ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

• 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated

FOR THE MASCARPONE CREAM:

• 1/2 cup whole / heavy / whipping cream (cold straight out of the fridge)

• 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

• 1/2 cup mascarpone (room temperature)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

TO GARNISH (OPTIONAL):

• Lemon zest, finely grated

• Fresh strawberries

• Fresh basil leaves

*Chef's Tips:
Instead of the white balsamic, you can make your macerated strawberries even more special by adding just one more ingredient to the simple strawberry sugar base!
Add a splash of Grand Marnier for an extra special touch during the holidays, or a bit of lemon juice or orange juice if you really want to enhance the flavor of a dish with citrus notes. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:

1. In a large bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, white balsamic vinegar, (or Grand Marnier, or Citrus juice) the golden yellow sugar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss several times until sugar is dissolved and strawberries are evenly coated. Cover and let sit at room temperature; 30 minutes (toss every 10 minutes).

2. With a slotted spoon, remove the macerated strawberries from the bowl. Reserve strawberries. 

3.  Pour the balsamic vinegar (or Grand Marnier, or Citrus juice) and juices that were released by the strawberries into a heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened; about 8 to 10 minutes. 

4. Add in 1½ cups (216 grams) of the sliced strawberries to the reduction. Allow strawberries to soften and release their juices, while being careful not to crush them. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture becomes syrupy; 5 minutes. 

5. Remove from heat and pour the reduction over the remaining strawberries. Sprinkle in the lemon zest and gently stir to combine. Set aside and cool to room temperature, then place into the fridge to chill completely.

FOR THE MASCARPONE CREAM:

• In a medium bowl beat the cream and sugar until thick peaks appear (very thick).

• In another medium bowl, beat (with same beaters) the mascarpone and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

• Add your whipped cream mixture to the mascarpone mixture and whisk strongly until smooth. Don't over mix!

  TO ASSEMBLE:

  1. Spoon a layer of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of individual glasses.

  2. Spoon a layer of the mascarpone cream over the strawberries. Repeat process until glasses are filled. 

  3. If desired, garnish with lemon zest, fresh strawberries, and/or fresh basil leaves. 

  4. Serve immediately, or place into the fridge until ready to serve.

BON APPETIT!

Photography by Patricia Brochu