Rhubarb Fool is one of the top ways to serve rhubarb as a cold dessert. I’ve changed things up a little by creating a Rhubarb and Orange Fool, adding the zesty flavours of orange. It’s a super easy recipe and and the perfect make-ahead dessert for summer entertaining.
Let’s face it, when the temperature is around 24C the last thing you want to eat is Rhubarb Crumble, so I’m always on the look out for cool desserts, like this Rhubarb and Orange Fool, to make with our abundant crown of rhubarb. I whizzed up the cooked rhubarb and juices in my Optimum ThermoCook multi- function blender, I could have cooked the rhubarb in the blender too as it has a heating element, however I do love roasting the rhubarb with orange to bring out all the flavour and the oven method keeps the pieces intact, although this is less important for this recipe.
Rhubarb and Orange Fool
Ingredients
- 450 g rhubarb
- 1 orange zest and juice
- 100 g caster sugar
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 drop of red food colouring paste optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160C
- Wash the rhubarb and cut into even sized pieces and place in a single layer in a non metal ovenproof dish, add the orange juice and half the zest..
- Roast the rhubarb in the oven for about 10 minutes, until a knife slips easily into a piece of rhubarb, but before the rhubarb starts to disintegrate. Leave to cool.
- Place the remaining strands of orange zest in a small pan and just cover with water. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add a tbsp of sugar and continue to simmer until the liquid becomes syrupy. Remove the sugared orange zest and place on baking parchment to dry.
- Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.
- Once cold, you can either blend the rhubarb and juice until smooth, or blend the chunks of roasted rhubarb. I chose to blend in my Optimum ThermoCook.
- Fold the rhubarb mixture into the cream, cutting through gently with a metal spoon, add the colouring if using*.
- Serve chilled in individual glass bowls decorated with the sugared strips of zest.
Notes
Servings depend on size of portion, will serve six if served in mini ramekins and four if served in sundae glasses.
Nutrition
Here are some more ‘cool’ desserts made with rhubarb, what is your favourite cool rhubarb dessert?
- Roasted Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwich
- Easy Rhubarb Millefeuille
- Rhubarb!!!
- Rhubarb and Ginger Trifle
- Rhubarb Cranachan
If you are looking for even more rhubarb recipes then why not follow my Rhubarb Pinterest Board?
I’ve had gooseberry fool before but never rhubarb fool! Great idea 🙂 it looks delicious!
Thanks Emma, it’s much the same process and gooseberries, like rhubarb, are acidic so work really well with the cream.
Rhubarb and orange work so well together. I can’t believe how simple this fool is to make too, lovely!
Thanks Jemma, yes really simple to make.
I love rhubarb, but oddly tend to just stew it and eat it like that. I’d not thought of making a fool with it, and generally love fool recipes. Right, I’m off to have a go with the batch my Mother-in-Law gave me at the weekend.
As we grow it in the garden, I am always looking for different ways to eat rhubarb, Penelope. Enjoy!
I love a fool! This rhubarb infused one sounds very tasty indeed X
Thanks Stuart, creamy summer fools are soooo good ☺️
This looks lovely and summery – Our rhubarb was really fragrant this year!
Thanks Heidi, yes it has been a good year for rhubarb.
I have never combined these two ingredients but looks like they work well together.
They definitely do Nayna, thanks
I’ve been admiring the wonderful colour of your rhubarb fool and now I know the secret. The sludgy colour rhubarb can go is not the most appealing. Your recipe sounds delicious, although it’s so cold here at the moment, I’m rather fancying rhubarb crumble 😉
ha ha, yes I cheated with the colour. As you say sludgy green is not the most appealing, it didn’t take much gel colour to make it pink. Generally I don’t like to colour my recipes but in this case it was definitely worth it, we do eat with our eyes! Freezing here today too.