Blackberry Fool
History, Folklore, and Recipe for Imbolc
When I first came across this recipe I was enticed by its simplicity but confused about its name. I spent nearly a year telling myself I should research the name and the origin and and then simply not doing it. Turns out there’s an incredibly straightforward explanation—much like the dessert itself.
A Short History of Folklore & Tradition
Fool comes from the French word fouler which means “to crush” or “to press.” Foole was first recorded as referring to a dessert in 1598, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Although it's possible it originated much earlier.
A gooseberry fool is traditional; I recall a passage from Lolly Willowes, a favorite book of mine, in which the eponymous main character enjoys the traditional gooseberry fool during holidays and celebrations at her family’s fabled English homestead, Lady Place.
I strongly prefer blackberries, especially for this Imbolc-themed recipe. Blackberries are actually very culturally significant, though the folklore varies from culture to culture. Christianity superstition gets very specific about why one shouldn’t eat them outside of their natural season.
“Never eat them after September 29th!” This is because September 29th marks the day that Lucifer was cast out of heaven. As he tumbled down to Earth, he had the misfortune of landing in a prickly bramble patch, getting his yucky shame and bad luck positively all over them!
I, however, enjoy living dangerously—and deliciously.
Imbolc & Saint Brigid
Photo by Haley Owens on Unsplash
Imbolc, also known as Candlemas and Saint Brigid’s Day, is a pagan fire festival to honor the Celtic goddess Brigid, who happens to find these glistening dark gems sacred. Imbolc, celebrated on January 31st - February 2nd marks the official midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. This means we’re halfway through with winter and spring will be here before we know it!.
As we now know today, blackberries have proven to hold health benefits and have been used in folk medicine and modern healing modalities for some time. I love this dessert because it promotes a modest kind of celebration; it’s light, fluffy, fruitiness is refreshing after the parade of rich, heavy, comfort foods during the holidays, and the tartness of the berries just says “spring!” to me.
A Few Techniques For Your Fool
You can mash the berries however you like, but using your bare hands to further connect yourself and your intentions to your food is always a fun option. Just be prepared for a little mess, possible staining, and purple fingertips.
I believe that hand whipping the cream is essential, especially if it’s for intentional, ritualistic purposes. There’s no better way to imbue it with your strength and vitality than to watch those stiff peaks form.
I do, however, totally understand that this is an exhausting process and might be impractical for some people. Don’t feel ashamed of using a hand or stand mixer. After all, Brigid is—among other things—a goddess of creation, technology and innovation, metalsmithing, craftsmanship; she would totally appreciate the wonder and power of such an invention. It’s truly, always the thought that counts.
Photo by Tamara Gak on Unsplash
Notes on the recipe:
-It calls for granulated sugar for the berries, but if you have a preferred way to sweeten fruit such as honey, then go for it. Substituting sugar for honey makes most recipes feel more homey and folksy, in my opinion. Depending on the kind of honey you can get your hands on, it’ll only broaden the flavor profile. What’s the worst that could happen? It’ll taste too good? You get it.
-Some versions of this recipe call for Caster sugar, which is just a superfine white sugar. If you can get your hands on it, it adds a little finesse to a humble recipe, but it can be hard to find in stores.
-When it comes to vanilla, extract is perfectly fine, but other substitutions are more than encouraged. If you are able to use fresh vanilla beans, one bean would suffice. I must also take this opportunity to plug powdered vanilla bean—yes, that’s a thing now! My husband and I are loving its full, intense flavor. It also utilizes the entire vanilla bean, including the husk which reduces waste! If you can find it, I highly recommend it. We found ours at Whole Foods and our local grocery chain.
-All the vanilla is meant to macerate the berries, but feel free to add some to your cream, if you wish. Who’s gonna stop you? Nobody, that’s who.
The Recipe:
1 pint fresh blackberries
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract or powder
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar
Lemon juice (optional)
Shortbread cookies for serving
Place the blackberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with granulated sugar, then drizzle with vanilla. Toss lightly to evenly coat. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then mash the blackberries until they release their juices and form a thick pulp. (Depending on the sweetness of the berries or your own preference, add a gentle squeeze of lemon juice, for balance.)
Combine heavy cream and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk to whip the cream to medium peaks.
Pour the berry mixture over the cream and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until combined. You can leave ribbons of berry mixture or completely incorporate it.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day (any longer and your whipped cream could fall and go all liquidy again). Serve in small bowls or coupe glasses if you’re feeling fancy. Top with crumbled shortbread cookies, or leave cookies whole for scooping.
