Featuring a bright lemon curd, macerated raspberries and rosewater infused whipped cream, this refreshing lemon fool is the perfect summer dessert!

Have you ever tried a fruit fool? If you’re a fan whenever fruitiness and creaminess are paired together, then this dessert is for you.

What is a fruit fool?

A fruit fool is a dessert that dates back to the 15th century. The name fool is derived from the French word fouler, meaning to press or crush, referring to the crushed fruits that are gently folded into whipped cream.

I partnered with Darling Citrus to make a Lemon Fool with a scratch made lemon curd, macerated raspberries and whipped cream infused with rosewater. The Darling Citrus lemons I used for the curd are a great source of potassium and vitamin C, and the tart curd pairs so beautifully with the berries and whipped cream.

Why you’ll love this lemon fool recipe

For this lemon fool, the lemon curd is layered on the bottom, followed by a layer of gently crushed raspberries and fresh whipped cream accented with a splash of rosewater for a floral touch on top. I opted to keep the layers separate for a tidier presentation, although I do also love the rustic, swirled look of this dessert when all the components are folded together.

The combination of tart lemon curd, sweet raspberries and airy, rose scented whipped cream is absolutely heavenly! This is a delightful dessert for summertime because of its light and fresh flavor profile.

How to make the lemon curd

There is definitely more than one way to make lemon curd from scratch, but I usually get the smoothest results from the double boiler method, which means cooking the eggs in the curd to a safe temperature in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. This method gently cooks the curd until thickened and as long as you stir the mixture often, you should wind up with a velvety smooth lemon curd free of lumps or bits of cooked egg (although, if you do, you can just strain them out through a mesh strainer to get rid of them!)

Here’s how I make the lemon curd for this fool recipe:

1. Fill a pot with 1-2 inches of water and heat until boiling. Once boiling, reduce to low heat to keep the water at a simmer.
2. Place sugar, salt, egg yolk and egg in a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk or stir occasionally with a silicone spatula as the curd cooks. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and reaches a temperature of 170 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest. Mix gently until combined. Pour curd into a jar or bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

Can I make this dessert ahead of time?

You can certainly make all the layers up to a couple of days in advance, and the lemon curd will last up to a week in the fridge! Then you can assemble it and add any garnishes such as the lemon zest and fresh raspberries just before serving.

Variations

• Use any type of berry or a mix of berries instead of raspberries for the fruit component of this lemon fool. Chopped stone fruit such as peaches or nectarines would also be lovely.
• If you’re not a fan of rosewater in the whipped cream, simply leave it out and use plain whipped cream. You can also add vanilla bean or vanilla extract to the whipped cream or lemon zest and lemon extract for a citrusy whipped cream.
• If you’re vegan, substitute whipped coconut cream and a vegan curd such as my vegan grapefruit curd.
• For a shortcut, store bought lemon curd can be substituted.

More desserts for summertime!

• S’mores Parfaits
• Toasted Coconut Latte Popsicles
• Clementine Creamsicle Smoothie
• Vegan Margarita Cheesecake
• Mango Passion Fruit Sorbet
• Easy Tarte Tatin with Plums and Basil

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If you give this Lemon Fool a try, please leave a comment/rating below and share it on social with #LePetitEats!

This post is sponsored by Darling Citrus. All opinions are my own.

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Lemon Fool with Raspberries and Rose Whipped Cream

Featuring a bright lemon curd, macerated raspberries and rosewater infused whipped cream, this refreshing lemon fool is the perfect summer dessert!

Course brunch, Dessert

Cuisine British, Gluten-free

Keyword dessert, lemon curd, lemon dessert, raspberry, rose dessert recipes

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Author Denisse

Ingredients

For the lemon curd:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 3 lemons
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature

For the fool:

• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon rosewater

For topping: (optional)

• lemon zest
• dried rose petals
• additional raspberries

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with 1-2 inches of water and heat until boiling. Once boiling, reduce to low heat to keep the water at a simmer.

2. Place sugar, salt, egg yolk and egg in a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth. Add lemon juice and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk or stir occasionally with a silicone spatula as the curd cooks. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and reaches a temperature of 170 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove the bowl from heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest. Mix gently until combined. Pour curd into a jar or bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

4. Reserve a few raspberries for garnish and set aside, if using. Place the remaining raspberries and sugar in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon, gently mashing the berries with the back of the spoon to break them down and release some of the juices. Let them sit for about 20 minutes and stir every now and then to encourage the maceration.

5. Place heavy cream, powdered sugar and rosewater in a bowl or container and whip using an electric mixer or electric whisk until soft peaks have formed.

6. To assemble, divide the lemon curd, macerated raspberries and rosewater whipped cream evenly into four bowls or glasses. Layer the lemon curd on the bottom followed by the raspberry mixture and finish with the whipped cream on top. Leave the layers separated or gently fold them together for a swirled appearance. Top with lemon zest, fresh raspberries and dried rose petals, if desired.