SWEET CHERRY FOOL

Every once in a while, black, sweet cherries appear, as if by magic, in the market.  Who can resist?  Eat them by the handful, eat them for breakfast—and if there are any left, make a Sweet Cherry Fool for dessert.  Originally an English Medieval dessert, heavy with custard and cooked fruit—when raw fruit was thought to be poisonous.  The dessert evolved to a lighter version with whipped cream, and here with yogurt—but still with lightly cooked fruit.  Four hundred years in the making—enjoy!!

• 3 cups cherries, carefully pitted
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 1 5-oz cup vanilla Greek or regular yogurt
• 1-2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tblsp confectioners sugar

Put the pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat.  Cook until sugar dissolves, cherries have softened and juices have turned a little syrupy.  Remove from heat and spread in a shallow bowl.  Crush cherries a bit to release more juice.  Refrigerate cherry mixture until cold.  In a large bowl, beat cream until thick—add confectioners sugar and yogurt.  Beat slowly until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  Gently fold cold cherries into cream mixture—mix only until ribbons of cherry show through the cream.  Spoon into clear bowls or glasses to serve.

The Kitchen Hive