Recipe: Blueberry fool on a berry fruit salad

Total time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours resting time for the salad

Servings: 6

Note: Adapted from “Ten: All the Foods We Love . . . and Ten Recipes for Each� by Sheila Lukins. Assemble the blueberry fool no more than 2 hours prior to serving.

Berry fruit salad

1 pint fresh blueberries, lightly rinsed and patted dry

1 pint fresh blackberries, lightly rinsed and patted dry

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the blueberries, blackberries, lemon juice and sugar. Let the mixture rest for 2 hours at room temperature for the juices to develop. Shortly before serving, toss the berry mixture with the chopped mint. While the salad is resting, prepare the fool.

Blueberry fool and final assembly

1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries, lightly rinsed and patted dry, divided

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup crème fraîche

6 full mint sprigs, for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, place 1 cup of the blueberries and one-fourth cup sugar over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the berries have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the berries to a medium bowl to cool completely. (To speed the process, chill the berries in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or about 5 minutes in the freezer.) Add the remaining cup blueberries to the cooled blueberries and set aside.

2. While the berries are cooling, in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whip together the cream, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and vanilla to form soft peaks. Add the crème fraîche and continue beating until it is combined and the mixture again forms soft peaks.

3. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberries into the whipped mixture, being careful not to overmix. (You want to create a marbleized effect.) Refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 2 hours before serving.

4. To serve, spoon about one-half cup of the fruit salad into each of 6 dessert bowls, and top with a generous portion of the fool. Garnish each portion with a mint sprig.

Each serving: 392 calories; 3 grams protein; 41 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 26 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 91 mg. cholesterol; 37 mg. sodium.