Thyme-Scented Strawberry Fool

4/01/2015 | BY Kate Jay

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Thyme-Scented Strawberry Fool | Autoimmune-Paleo.com

A fool, in culinary terms, is a classic English dessert made by stewing fruit and folding it into sweetened whipped cream. Though originally made with gooseberries, this works well with pretty much any fruit and I don’t think you could ever go wrong with strawberries. It’s name stems from the French ‘fouler,’ meaning to crush, however I prefer to cut my strawberries into smallish pieces to keep a little texture and contrast to the silkiness of the cream. Because a ‘fool’ is so incredibly simple and quick to prepare, it’s hard to believe how delicious it can be, so be sure to use the best quality ingredients possible and you will really make it shine.

I love pairing herbs with fruits and adding thyme to the strawberries as they are cooking imparts the subtlest hint of added interest to the already gorgeous combination of strawberries and cream. Whipped coconut cream makes a perfect substitution for dairy cream, in fact I think I actually prefer it. I always keep a couple of cans of coconut milk in my fridge for when the mood strikes me to whip up (excuse the pun) a quick and impromptu dessert.

Thyme-Scented Strawberry Fool | Autoimmune-Paleo.com

*A word about coconut milk. Always make sure yours contains no additives such as guar gum, which can be a gut irritant and therefore not AIP friendly. Also some brands of coconut milk, such as Natural Value or Aroy-D, will whip nicely to the consistency of double cream, whilst others will not.

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Thyme-Scented Strawberry Fool
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs strawberries, hulled and quartered, halved if already small
  • 3 large thyme sprigs
  • 3 tablespoons honey, divided
  • *Cream from the top of two 400-ml cans coconut milk (will yield 1½-2 cups)
Instructions
  1. Place the strawberries, thyme and 1 tbsp honey into a large pan. Cook on a medium heat until juices begin to emerge, then turn the heat down to low and continue cooking, uncovered, until softened and an almost syrupy jam-like consistency, about 12-15 minutes.
  2. Taste a bit of the syrup to see how thyme-y the flavor is and either leave it in for a more pronounced flavour as it cools or discard it, depending on your preference.
  3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool completely.
  4. Turn the cans of refrigerated coconut milk upside down, open with a can opener and slowly pour the watery liquid off into a separate jug. You can use this liquid for smoothies or drink as is.
  5. Scoop out the cream that is left below, which should be between 1½ and 2 cups, and put into a mixing bowl.
  6. Using a stand mixer or a hand held, whip the cream and remaining 2 tbsp honey into soft, pillowy peaks. Discard the thyme sprigs if you left them in and fold in the strawberries and syrup, reserving a small amount for garnishing.
  7. Spoon into glasses or pretty dishes and put into the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Decorate with the reserved strawberries immediately before serving.
  8. This is at its best on the day it is made, however it will still be okay to eat the next day if kept in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Put two cans of coconut milk in the fridge at least the night before you want to make the fool.

 

About Kate Jay

Kate Jay, NTP, RWP, CGP and AIP Certified Coach, has been blogging at Healing Family Eats, since June 2014. Diagnosed years ago as hypothyroid, she and her family were already following the GAPS diet for digestive issues when Kate noticed swelling consistent with RA. She set up her AIP food blog as motivation for making the restricted diet as exciting as possible for her children, who felt they missed out on the junk their friends took to school. Originally a classically trained chef, who freelanced with popular food magazines in the UK, she is now passionate about helping her clients heal using a combination of her holistic training, lab work and real food as medicine. She focuses on creating simple, nutritionally dense and balanced family meals, without compromising on flavour. Find her also on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

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