Easy Raspberry Rhubarb Fool Recipe

Here’s a crowd-pleaser! This Raspberry Rhubarb Fool is an easy dessert to make for a large group. Not too sweet, but not too tart, it’s a glass of ruby-red fruit layered or folded into whipped cream.

Lightly sweetened clouds of whipped cream, layered with a rustic raspberry-rhubarb compote make this Raspberry Rhubarb Fool a popular dessert. Layer it parfait-style in dessert glasses, or serve it in mini dessert cups for a tasting party. It’s pretty, it’s delicious, and it’s so easy to make!

Why is this dessert called a fool?

I did a little digging and found this explanation on lovefood.com “So where does this name ‘fool’ come from? It’s actually very simple – that sweet thing you have at the end of a meal is just a small, unimportant, trivial tit-bit, isn’t it? So it’s called a ‘trifle’, or a ‘fool'”

Whatever the historical explanation, this Raspberry Rhubarb Fool is delicious and it’s by no means an “unimportant, trivial tit-bit” to me!

It’s dessert!

And if you’re like any of the people around my family table who devoured this, you probably eagerly anticipate what’s going to be offered at the end of a meal from the time you first sit down at the table.

While this dessert recipe originated in England, those red and white layers look pretty Canadian to me. Perfect for a Canada Day party! And for my American friends, adding a handful of blueberries on top would easily change this into a patriotic dessert to celebrate the Fourth of July.

A dessert fool was traditionally made with stewed gooseberries and whipped cream but it is now more commonly made with berries. Since my love for rhubarb knows no bounds, I combined stewed rhubarb, also known as rhubarb compote, with raspberries and folded it into whipped cream.

But not just any whipped cream! I discovered a secret way to keep whipped cream stiff, so it holds up in this dessert.

My tip? Add some firm Greek yogurt. That’s it. It didn’t change the taste at all.

How to Make this Easy Raspberry Rhubarb Fool

1. First, make Rhubarb Compote by combining diced rhubarb, water and maple syrup. Add raspberries and stir until smooth, but leaving a few small chunks of fruit is fine. Let cool.
2. Whip the cream with vanilla and powdered sugar to the soft peak stage. Add yogurt and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Serve this Raspberry Rhubarb Fool layered parfait-style, or fold the fruit into the whipped cream and watch it transform into swirls of pretty pink and white. Top with a sprig of mint or some crumbled cookie crumbs (I used gluten-free ginger snaps) to add a little crunch.

5 from 7 votes

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Easy Raspberry Rhubarb Fool

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Cooling time

1 hr

Total Time

30 mins

 

This Raspberry Rhubarb Fool is a pretty dessert that is easy to make. Layer in dessert glasses with yogurt whipped cream, or make mini desserts for a tasting party. 

Course: Dessert or Appetizer

Cuisine: American, British, Canadian

Servings: 8

Calories per serving: 264 kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

Ingredients

• 2 cups rhubarb diced
• 3 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 cups raspberries
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (firm)
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• gluten-free ginger snap or other cookie crumbs for garnish

Instructions

1. In a saucepan combine rhubarb, water and maple syrup. Over med-high heat, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until rhubarb is very tender. Add raspberries and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add yogurt and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

3. Alternate layers of raspberry-rhubarb compote in dessert glasses and top with an extra dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint leaves or with cookie crumbs. Keep chilled until serving time.

Recipe Notes

This dessert is best served on the day it's made.

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