Plum Drunken Fool (or Sober if You Prefer)

I can’t shake the image.  I am in a western saloon with wooden swinging doors, a long rustic bar and men in suspenders with open vests.  One of the men grabs another by the lapel, shoves him roughly and mutters “plum drunken fool.”

Plum Drunken Fool (brandied plums with whipped cream)

Plum Drunken Fool (brandied plums with whipped cream)

But my plum drunken fool is something completely different.  A mixture of plums, bathed in spices and brandy, then folded into sweetened whipped cream, it is seductive rather than in your face boozy.   Almost elegant… 

If you don’t care for brandy (or are serving this to minors), this would also be nice with just fruit, sans brandy, which is more traditional anyway.

puree plums in blender

First you puree the plums 

whipped-cream

Then whip the cream and combine

According to Wikipedia, a fruit fool is a historic dessert of crushed fruit and sweetened whipped cream, which dates back to the 15th century.  Originally made with gooseberries (another bush for my wish list), the name may come from the french word fouler to crush or press.  The drunken part was my idea after I began tossing aging fruit in brandy last fall  in an attempt to save both fruit and sanity (recipe here). 

two-plum-fools

A fool for a friend…

This is a super easy dessert with a sophisticated flavor that belies its simplicity.  As an added bonus, it should work with thawed, previously frozen fruit.

Plum Drunken Fool

A mixture of spiced, brandied plums and sweetened whipped cream, this Plum Drunken Fool has flavor and sophistication that belies its simplicity.
Author: Inger
No ratings yet
Course Dessert
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 c heavy cream
  • 3 large plums previously marinated in brandy & spices (or toss pitted, sliced plums in 1 T sugar, 1/4 t cinnamon, dash of vanilla & optional 1/2 - 1 T brandy)
  • 2 T powdered sugar
  • 1/2 t vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Chop fruit in blender or food processor until a chunky puree.
  • Beat cream until stiff, then add powdered sugar and vanilla.
  • Fold in fruit puree and divide between four dessert bowls. Garnish with whole berries and mint leaves if desired.
I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

24 thoughts on “Plum Drunken Fool (or Sober if You Prefer)

    1. Inger Post author

      They really are tasty Beth! This summer I have learned how many really nice fruit desserts aren’t actually that hard (or that unhealthy). Yes, I think I may be eating dessert more often!

  1. grace

    i’ve never done anything with plums except eat them raw, but this sounds amazing! the name is unbeatable too. 🙂

  2. Louise

    Hi Inger!
    I had to chuckle to myself reading your unshakeable image, lol…I just happen to catch a glimpse of John Wayne in True Grit last night and when I read your fist lines, I all of a sudden got an image of him in my mind, lol…Fools have been around for ages for good reason, as opposed to the old drunken kind, lol…Simply delectable with or without booze!

    Thank you so much for sharing, Inger…

    P.S. I’ll be posting the eggplant “recipe” tomorrow. If you need it before that, shoot me an email and I’ll send it your way:) acalenda {at} gmail {dot} com

    1. Inger Post author

      Heading over to check out the eggplant Louise. Anything with garlic is good with me!

    1. Inger Post author

      Yes, I guess whipped cream and fresh fruit are pretty special in the first place!

  3. Lynn

    This looks divine! Wish I could try the boozy version, but for now I’ll have to content myself with the just plain fruit variation. 🙂

    1. Inger Post author

      Thanks Ronnie. It is indeed a contender for Christmas Eve, where I always look for a really light dessert to balance too many courses.

    1. Inger Post author

      Thank you so much Freeda–just when I was feeling frustrated by my writing. I am optimistic that the raspberries may come through this fall, in which case I will be doing a brandy-free raspberry version soon!

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