Blackberry fool with tuile biscuits

Make this light fresh tasting dessert when the blackberries are at the height of the season then freeze in handy sized portions. Or serve while still semi frozen scooped into glasses and drizzled with a little crème de cassis, if you have some for a refreshing cheats ice cream.

 

Serves 6

Preparation time 30 minutes

Cooking time 20-23 minutes

Chilling time 2 hours

Cost per portion £1.24

 

450g/1lb blackberries

2 tbsp blackcurrant cordial, undiluted

2 tbsp water

50g/2oz caster sugar

135g/43/4 oz small carton low fat custard

300ml/1/2pt double cream

Tuile biscuits

2 medium egg whites

100g/4oz caster sugar

50g/2oz butter, melted

50g/2oz plain flour, sifted

Few drops vanilla essence

40g/11/2oz pistachio nuts, finely chopped

Little icing sugar, sifted, to decorate

Few extra blackberries to decorate, if liked

 

1. Put the blackberries, 50g caster sugar, cordial and water into a saucepan, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes until the blackberries are softened then puree in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. Press through a sieve and discard the seeds then leave puree to cool.
    
2. Whip the cream in a bowl until it just forms soft swirls then fold in the custard and three quarters of the blackberry puree. Spoon into 6 small glass dishes and chill until needed. Reserve the remaining puree in a small bowl.
3. To make the biscuits, whisk the egg whites lightly in a bowl with a fork to break up then mix in 100g sugar. Gradually mix in the melted butter then flour until smooth then add the vanilla essence and half the pistachios.
    
4. Drop 6 teaspoons of the mixture well spaced apart on to a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper, spread into thin rounds and sprinkle with a few extra pistachios. Bake in a preheated oven set to 200oC/Gas mark 6 for 4-5 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges.
    
5. Leave to stand for a few seconds then loosen with a palette knife and working quickly while the biscuits are still soft, curl them around the handle of a wooden spoon. Continue cooking small batches of biscuits and shaping until all the mixture has been used up, sliding biscuits off the wooden spoon handles as soon as they are firm. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
    
6. Decorate the tops of the blackberry fool with a drizzle of the remaining blackberry puree then run a skewer through the puree to give a marbled effect. Lightly dust the biscuits with a little sifted icing sugar and serve with the fool, decorated with a few extra blackberries, if liked.