This 3-Ingredient, No-Cook Dessert Is Inspired by My Grandmother

My summer berry fool recipe was born out of love for my paternal grandmother, Shameem, whom we affectionately called Mader (mother, in Farsi). Born and raised in Lahore with Pakistani and Persian roots, Mader was endlessly curious about food from outside her own heritage. She clipped recipes from around the world from newspapers and enrolled in cooking classes at the Alliance Française, where she learned how to make towering soufflés.

She was the kind of person who’d ask for a recipe the moment she tasted something she liked. That’s how she discovered this dessert called “fool” from one of her English friends at the golf club where she and my grandfather were members. Traditionally made with gooseberries, the fruit for Mader’s version of fool changed with the seasons—she was always one to improvise. 

She used whatever fruit was ripe—mangos, even stewed peaches—and folded it into whipped cream to make something simple yet special. Fresh cream was hard to come by in Lahore, so she used shelf-stable whipping cream from a box.

Mader taught me to be curious and flexible in the kitchen, to adapt, and to taste a dish as I went along. That’s why I love making fools: They are endlessly adaptable and can be made without turning on the stove, which I welcome in the summer months. Plus, fools are so beautiful with their marbled swirls of fruit and cream.

What Fruit To Use in Fools

I love using berries for fools in the summertime, but other ripe, fresh fruit such as mangos or even pitted and chopped cherries work well, too. The softer and sweeter the fruit, the better the flavor and texture of this no-cook dessert will be.

Frozen fruit works in a pinch, but bear in mind that it releases liquid as it thaws. To use frozen fruit in this recipe, thaw the fruit completely, then mash it gently in a bowl. Start by folding in 1/2 cup of the mashed fruit into the whipped cream.  If the texture holds and you want more fruit, add more a tablespoon at a time. Just make sure the texture of the cream holds up—you don’t want a soupy fool!

How To Make My 3-Ingredient Summer Berry Fool

To make four servings, you’ll need:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup fresh, ripe blueberries, raspberries, or hulled and chopped strawberries 

Pour the cold cream into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and whip until soft peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes. Don’t overbeat or the cream will start to turn to butter.

Once whipped, cover the cream and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. While the cream chills, add the berries to a wide, shallow bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash until the fruit is broken down but still has some texture. You’re not aiming for a purée here. Cover the mashed fruit and chill in the fridge until cold, at least 30 minutes. Both the cream and the fruit should be cold before assembling and can be refrigerated for up to a few hours in advance.

When ready to serve, reserve 1/4 cup of the fruit and set it aside for topping. Add the rest of the mashed fruit to the whipped cream and gently fold together with a spatula. For a marbled effect, stop folding when you see ribbons of fruit running through the cream. For a more uniform dessert, fold until evenly combined. Spoon the fool mixture into 4 glasses or small bowls, top each with a spoonful of the reserved fruit, and serve immediately.

Easy Tweaks

Add any of these directly to the cream along with the powdered sugar before whipping:

• Zest of 1 lemon or lime (with any fruit)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (I love this with blueberries)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (great with mango)
• 1/2 teaspoon culinary-grade rose water (my favorite with raspberries)

More 3-Ingredient Desserts

• Easy 3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée
• 3-Ingredient Skillet Apple Crisp
• 3-Ingredient Brownie Cookies
• Chocolate-Covered Grapes