Kate's Global Kitchen: April Fool

April Fool

What Kind of Fool Am I...

A fool is sweeter than an jokester and more than a moron. The International Dictionary of Desserts (Hearst Books) by Carole Bloom offers this definition:

Fool: A classic British dessert, a fool is a chilled sweet made of fruit and whipped cream. Fools are traditionally made with a cooked fruit puree that is chilled and then sweetened, although today they are also made with fresh fruit, as in kiwifruit fool. The puree of fruit is folded into whipped cream. Fools are usually served like parfaits, layered in tall glasses. Gooseberries are the most traditional fruit, but fools are also made with many other fruits. Fools have been traced as far back as the fifteenth century. United Kingdom.

Foolish variations sometimes include pieces of pound cake or angel food cake, as in this recipe for Low Fat Orange Fool (and that's no joke!)...

Lowfat Orange Fool

Light and sunny...If desired, omit cake and serve in pudding cups or over fruit chunks.

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1/2 tsp. orange zest (grated orange peel)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup lowfat whipped topping
12 slices (3 oz each) angel food cake

Method:

Combine juices, zests and sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved. In separate bowl beat whipped topping to stiff peaks. Fold in juice mixture. Spoon 1/4 cup topping over each cake slice. Chill well before serving.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:

Calories: 168
Fat: 0.9 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 85 mg

Recipe from Taste California, a cookbook with recipes contributed by members of the California Dietetic Association, a group of 6800 nutrition professionals from all over California.

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This page originally published as a Global Gourmet Today column in 1998.