Raspberry Fuel is a traditional English dessert (similar to Eton Mess), and is basically just berries and cream; what’s different about it is the presentation. I love the raspberry version, but you can use any berry you want for fool—blackberries are also lovely—and you can soak the berries in booze as I do here…but you don’t have to.

Here’s how to make it!

First, get the raspberries ready! Big ones, small ones, it doesn’t really matter because they’ll eventually be all mashed to smithereens.

Sprinkle on some sugar. Of course.

Now, this is optional, but if you have a little booze on hand—this is raspberry liqueur, but you can use orange liqueur, or even a little rum.

(Or you can just add a little water and skip the hard stuff altogether.)

(I did not select the water option. Of course.)

Now just stir it all together…

And let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile pour some nice, cold heavy cream into the bowl of a mixer (or into a bowl if you’re using a hand mixer.)

Sprinkle in some powdered sugar this time. You can totally use regular sugar if you want, it really doesn’t matter that much. I was just trying to be unpredictable in my old age.

Turn the mixer on medium-high to slowly start to whip it. Whip it good. (Name that band.)

And look at what happened during that time!

Someone pass me a straw, please. Thank you.

Wait! Put away the straw! We’re gonna need that juice. Just grab a fork…

And smash them up until most of the big chunks are gone and it’s just one big mess of fruit so bright red, white carpets cower when it walks into a room.

That is some really weird imagery.

The cream is whipped!

Basically, you want to stop just before it gets really stiff, when it’s still somewhat billowy.

Speaking of old age, one thing I’ve learnt as I’ve gone through the ages and stages of life is that if I can be in the presence of billowy whipped cream at least once a month, I’m a much more centred, contented person.

Just sharing what I know.

Now, for the next step. You probably saw this coming.

Gently spoon about half the berry mixture right on top of the whipped cream.

And then—this is very important!—use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture once or twice. When I say once or twice, I’m being quite literal! The biggest mistake you can make when you’re making raspberry fool (or any fruit fool) is to over mix the fruit and cream.

You want to see white cream, pink cream, and beautifully glossy streaks of red.

Add more of the fruit mixture and fold it once. Twice at the most. Then stop! Don’t fold it any more! If the mixture looks uniformly pink, well…it will still be delicious. But it won’t be as gorgeous and mysterious as this.

And that’s basically it! To serve it up, grab a big spoonful of the mixture…

Spoon it into pretty glasses…

Then grab a vanilla wafer or two…

Crush them into crumbs…

And sprinkle them over the top. Now, original fruit fools call for crushed ladyfingers, which I use if I have ladyfingers in my pantry. But vanilla wafers work too, as do any little cookie or wafer you happen to have.

Another approach you can take is to add the cream mixture and crumbs in alternating layers.

Still another approach you can take is to layer the whipped cream and the fruit mixture without folding them together. That’s pretty, too, but I love the folding approach.

You can also do this…

And this…

And this. You’ll just want to assemble it this way about 20-30 minutes ahead of time so the wafers have a chance to slightly soften.

The regular way, the one with just crumbs, you can just assemble right before serving.

Either way is delicious.

A raspberry on top makes it extra pretty.

And speaking of pretty…look at the side view.

This is a gorgeous, easy, quick dessert to whip up for family or for company.

Raspberry Fuel

1. In a bowl, stir together the raspberries, sugar, and liqueur (or water) and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. 
3. Mash the raspberries with a fork until all the liquid and fruit are mashed together. 
4. Spoon half the fruit into the cream and fold once or twice with a rubber spatula; do not overmix!
5. Add half of the remaining fruit and fold once or twice. If you want more fruit, add the rest; if not, use remaining fruit puree as a garnish on top.
6. Serve in pretty glasses with crumbed cookies on top!

***Best if made right before serving.

Source: thepioneerwomen