Rhubarb Fool with Vanilla Meringues

The weather is warming up, and visions of easy, breezy cold desserts are dancing in my head!

Since it’s Rhubarb season, this is a fantastic way to showcase rhubarb, without requiring any length of time with the oven being on.

What is a Fool Anyway?

I know it sounds like a funny name, or an insult. It’s a great little British treat of stewed or roasted fruit folded into whipped cream. I tried to find out where the name comes from.  Some contend that it comes from the French word fouler, which means to crush or press fruit.  It works especially well with tart fruit like gooseberries, currants or rhubarb.  There is something so special about the tart sweet of the fruit and juices combined with the fluffy creamy whipped cream. But of course you can use any berry with fabulous results. I’ve been making fools for years now- I think I had my first one like 30 years ago!! Through the years I have made this more waist friendly by reducing the amount of whipping cream needed, and replacing it with yogurt.

With regular berries like strawberries or raspberries, all you really need to do is crush or purée a portion of the ones you are using, add some rose water or vanilla to it and then fold it directly into the whipped cream and yogurt.  But with ingredients like rhubarb or gooseberries, a little bit of a stew or roast makes them easier to work with, and brings out more of their sweetness.

Rhubarb Component

To prep the rhubarb for this easy dessert, you can do this in advance, even the evening before, while it is cooler in your kitchen.  All you need to do is cut up the rhubarb, toss it with some orange juice or pear nectar, a vanilla pod that has had the seeds scraped out and added as well, and a bit of sugar.  This gets roasted in the oven till the rhubarb is just tender, about 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven.  Let it cool down before using.  Drain the juices into a small jar to let cool, it will turn syrupy as it does. You will take half of the rhubarb and crush it down with a fork. At this point the juices, the crushed rhubarb and the whole rhubarb pieces can be stored in the fridge.  My favourite part, the flecks of vanilla seed that dot the rhubarb pieces!  Oh the most intensely beautiful aroma as well.

Whipped Cream Component

Classically this dessert is just the crushed fruit and whipped cream.  I’ve replaced about 1/3 of the whipped cream with plain yogurt.  Of course you could also use a flavoured yogurt, like say coconut or vanilla flavoured if that appeals to you.  Whip the cream up, and depending when you are serving this, you could even store the whipped cream in the fridge till needed.

Here Comes the Fun Component

Yes, the dessert is pretty rich and creamy, with the softened fruit being the only other texture.  So I decided to add another texture to the mix.  Vanilla Meringues.  And not hoity-toity, chi chi meringues that have to look perfect.  Just make up my Forget-Me-Not Meringue Cookies, foregoing the nuts and chocolate and just using 1 tsp of vanilla.  Spoon out smallish mounds on a parchment lined baking sheet and put into a warmed oven.  Turn off the oven and go to bed.  In the morning they will be ready for you!  See, no real baking at all for this dessert, at least not during the heat of the day during our humid summer days. ps, I sprinkled some freeze dried strawberry powder on the meringues before they went into the oven, just to see what would happen.  It did add flavour, but nothing impressive, so definitely not a necessary step.

Let’s Put it All Together

When you want to pull these together, it couldn’t be more simple.  Take the crushed rhubarb and fold it into the yogurt. Don’t worry about getting it totally folded through, the streaks are the best part.  Then fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the yogurt mixture.  Again, just roughly, so that the rhubarb streaks show through.  Crumble meringue cookies into the bottom of the serving glasses or bowls you are using.  Spoon in some of the rhubarb whipped cream mixture.  Top with some of the whole rhubarb. Repeat with more of the rhubarb mixture and finish with a final bit of plain whipped cream, a few more pieces of rhubarb, and a final crumble of meringue cookie.  To finish it all off, pour some of the cooled syrup over everything. If you are assembling them in advance, don’t add the final drizzle of syrup till ready to serve.

These can sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving.  I’ve even had ones in the fridge overnight, and eaten one for breakfast the next day!  And the texture was still amazing!

Love Jen

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Rhubarb Fool with Vanilla Meringues

An easy breezy chilled dessert to make the most of spring and summer fruit. Roasted and folded into whipped cream and yogurt is just so dreamy. Crumbled vanilla meringues on top add a perfect extra texture.

Ingredients

Rhubarb Fool

• 14 oz rhubarb or 400 grams. Forced or greenhouse Rhubarb will be more pink, the garden variety will have a green tinge to it
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar or 80 grams
• 1 orange juiced
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream 35-45%, or 300 ml
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or any yogurt of choice, or 100 ml

Vanilla Meringue Cookies, made in advance

• 2 egg whites from large eggs
• 1/4 cup icing sugar or 30 grams
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar or 50 grams
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Rhubarb

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)
2. Trim the ends of the rhubarb and cut into one inch long pieces. Place these onto a small rimmed baking sheet. Add the sugar and the orange juice, combining everything together. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of your knife, adding both the seeds to the rhubarb. Finish by adding the vanilla pod to the baking sheet as well.
3. Roast the rhubarb for 10-12 minutes until tender but the rhubarb is still holding its shape. Your oven may affect the time needed.
4. Drain all the juices into a small jar. Use a fork to completely crush up half of the roasted rhubarb. Store it apart from the whole rhubarb. Chill till needed. The juices will thicken slightly as they chill.

Whipped Cream

1. Whip the cream just until firm peaks form. Stop before it gets any more firm. Too soft and the whipped cream will get watered down when added to the rhubarb.

To Assemble

1. Combine the puréed rhubarb with the yogurt in a medium bowl. Stop before it becomes to homogenous, you want to see streaks of rhubarb. Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the rhubarb mixture, again only till mixed, but not completely blended.
2. Crumble some of the meringue cookies at the bottom of each serving glass. Spoon some of the rhubarb whipped cream mixture into each glass. Follow with a few pieces of whole rhubarb. Repeat with the remaining rhubarb mixture. Top with remaining whole rhubarb pieces, the plain whipped cream and more crumbled meringue cookie. Finish with a drizzle of the reserved syrupy juice.

Vanilla Meringue Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C) It must be thoroughly heated through.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
3. Whisk egg whites with pinch of salt until stiff and dry. The liquidy, clear egg white texture should be replaced with a foamy texture. Gradually add the sugars, starting with the icing sugar, and scraping down the sides if needed, whisking until a thick and glossy meringue is achieved.
4. Using a tbsp, drop spoonfuls (but don't go any larger) onto the parchment, spaced 1" apart.
5. Put the baking sheets into the oven. Shut the door. Immediately turn the oven off.
6. Leave these alone without opening the door overnight. In the morning, they will easily come off the parchment paper. They will keep in an airtight container for a week. But who are we kidding, they'll be gone before you know it!If you are

Recipe Notes

The Fools can be assembled and stored in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. If not serving right away, don't drizzle the syrup on until ready to go out.
If baking the cookies on a humid day, you may find that the meringue doesn't come together, or that they don't completely cook through, and the insides are still sticky.
If this is the case, thoroughly warm the oven again at 350F, and put the cookies back in, and turn off the oven again. Check after 4 hours.
You will have more cookies than needed for the recipe. Just enjoy!