Recipe – Rhubarb Fool

Uses: rhubarb   (This is a recipe for those weeks in spring when you have a glut of rhubarb.)

Many fool recipes use double cream as a base. Others, older and more frugal, use custard.  I find the former too heavy and the latter too….well, I just don’t like custard. So I use greek yoghurt, and it seems to work well.

The ratio of cooked rhubarb to yoghurt is a matter of taste and availability. I aim for about equal volumes of each, but you can get away with less rhubarb. 

1.              De-string the rhubarb and chop into 1 inch lengths.

2.              Place on a pan on a low heat with as little water as you can get away with – just enough to stop the rhubarb sticking. Leave until it softens and goes mushy.

3.              Stir in sugar to taste and leave to cool, (but remember the yoghurt is a bit sour and the sweetness is going to be diluted by the extra volume of the yoghurt).

4.              When the rhubarb is cool, stir in the yoghurt and spoon into bowls or glasses. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

5.              Before serving, I like to sprinkle on some flaked almonds or desiccated coconut.

Variation: Other soft fruits will work equally well. I like gooseberry fool.