Fruit fool Fruit fool A fool is an English dessert. Traditionally, fruit fool is made by folding pureed stewed fruit (classically gooseberries) into sweet custard. Modern fool recipes often skip the traditional custard and use whipped cream. Additionally, a flavouring agent like rose water may be added. "Foole" is first mentioned as a dessert in 1598 (together with trifle), although the origins of gooseberry fool may date back to the 15th century. The earliest recipe for fruit fool dates to the mid 17th century. Why the word "fool" is used as the name of this fruit dessert is not clear. Several authors
Gooseberry are produced, singly or in pairs, from the groups of rounded, deeply crenated 3 or 5 lobed leaves. The fruit are berries, smaller in wild gooseberries than the cultivated varieties, but often of good flavour; it is generally hairy, but in one variety, smooth constituting the "R. uva-crispa" of writers. The colour of the berries is usually green, but there are red (to purple), yellow, and white variants. ("Ribes hirtellum" fruit can be green or dark purple to black.) Gooseberry growing was popular in the 19th century, as described in 1879: The gooseberry is indigenous to many parts of Europe