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.”
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.
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 Originally made with gooseberries (another bush for my wish list), the name may come from the french word fouler to crush or press.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).
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
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.
- Boozy Fruit: The Oldest Preserves (Brandied Plums)
- Glazed Peach Streusel Muffins
i like how you named this dessert ! thx for sharing, this sounds easy and quick to whip up
I had a lot of fun naming it Lena! And it is as easy to make as it looks.
Ha! I love the mental image. Fools are delicious, aren’t they?
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!
Wow, this sounds lovely! I would love to be eating one of these tonight for dessert!
It’s extra easy with the plums ready in their brandy!
i’ve never done anything with plums except eat them raw, but this sounds amazing! the name is unbeatable too. 🙂
I did have fun with the name Grace!
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
Heading over to check out the eggplant Louise. Anything with garlic is good with me!
Love the concept of a fool and a drunken one sounds even better!
I’ve been wanting to try a fool for ages-the brandy was indeed a bonus!
What a delicious looking dessert!
We enjoyed it–and reasonably healthy for a dessert too!
Inger look beautiful and delicious!
I love it!!
xo
Thanks Gloria!
I think I could go for this sober, it looks good enough even without alcohol 😀
Delicious recipe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yes, I guess whipped cream and fresh fruit are pretty special in the first place!
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. 🙂
Well it would be worth the wait in this case Lynn!
Sounds like a light but sweet dessert, prefect after a big meal.
Thanks Ronnie. It is indeed a contender for Christmas Eve, where I always look for a really light dessert to balance too many courses.
Looks lovely. Sounds lively! And you are a writer, Inger. 🙂 I would want the “just fruit” and not the brandy. 🙂
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!