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Home » Dessert » Rhubarb and Orange Fool Dessert

June 7, 2016 By Janice Pattie 18 Comments

Rhubarb and Orange Fool Dessert

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Rhubarb & Orange Fool Recipe

Rhubarb and Orange Fool is a sweet creamy dessert made with roasted rhubarb, whipped cream with a hint of orange zest.  It’s a super easy recipe and the perfect make-ahead dessert for summer entertaining. 

bowls of rhubarb fool

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What is rhubarb? 

Rhubarb is a hardy perennial plant with pink, red or pale green stems that are most often used in desserts like crumbles and pies.

It has a tart flavour and is too sharp to eat raw, but combined with sugar and other ingredients it has a delicious tangy taste. 

 

Rhubarb Crown and picked stems

How do you grow rhubarb? 

Rhubarb is grown from a crown.  This is a thick rhizome which is planted just below the surface of the soil.

Rhubarb plants like lots of moisture and you need to mulch the plant to keep it from getting too dry. 

When is rhubarb in season? 

The best rhubarb is available in Spring.  The earliest rhubarb you can buy is forced, this means it has been grown in the dark Forced rhubarb has pale pink stems and is tender and sweet.  

Rhubarb continues to grow throughout the summer but as the season progresses the stems become tougher.

My garden rhubarb

I have several well-established crowns of rhubarb in my garden. They have been in the garden for at least 50 years and pop up every year providing lots of delicious rhubarb stalks. 

Rhubarb and Orange Fool in glasses

 

Why do we call this dessert a Fool?

The term ‘fool’ is first recorded in the book The Compleat Cook published in 1658 where there is a recipe for Gooseberry Fool.

The most likely derivation of the name is from the French word ‘fouler’ which means to mash or to press.  The fruit for a fool is pureed and this would originally have been achieved with a sieve.

Rhubarb Fool is one of the most popular cold desserts using rhubarb.  Rhubarb and Orange Fool adds the extra zing of fresh orange and orange zest to this creamy dessert recipe. 

How to make Rhubarb and Orange Fool 

 

Roasted rhubarb and bowl of ceram

Roast the Rhubarb

Cut the rhubarb into even-sized pieces and place in an ovenproof dish.  Add the orange juice and half the zest. Roat for about 10 minutes until tender.  Leave to cool.

orange zest

Make the Orange Zest garnish

Place the remaining strands of orange zest into a pan and cover with water.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the sugar and continue to simmer gently until the liquid becomes syrupy.  

Remove the orange zest and place on baking parchment to dry. 

Whisk with cream

Whip the Cream

Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.  You can whip the cream by hand with a whisk or use an electric mixer.

Make the Rhubarb Puree

Blend the rhubarb pieces with some of the orange juice liquid in the roasting dish. If you don’t have a blender you can push the softened rhubarb through a non-metallic sieve and add a little the liquid to the puree. 

With the Froothie Evolve

The Froothie Evolve Blender

I use the Froothie Evolve Blender for all my blending and much more because it has a heating jug as well as being a super-powerful blender.  Read my review to find out more.

Currently on sale at £499 on the Froothie. Buy through my Ambassador Link and you get an additional 2 years warranty, which brings the warranty to 7 years. 

To get this special offer please add the following text in the comment box when you order:

Ambassador (3116) special 2 extra warranty years 

Combine the Rhubarb and Cream

Gently fold the rhubarb mixture into the cream with a metal spoon.

Top Tip

If your fool is lacking a pink colour add a drop of red food colouring or half a teaspoon of beetroot powder.

Serve Rhubarb and Orange Fool in glass bowls

Serving Suggestion

Serve in individual glass bowls or glasses decorated with the sugared strips of orange zest.

More Rhubarb Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Rhubarb dessert

Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars are a delicious combination of flavours and textures.  Top the oaty base with a rich, smooth baked cheesecake layered with pieces of tart, roasted rhubarb, and even more rhubarb puree swirled on top.  They are absolutely delicious. 

Peach and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake Dessert

Peach and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake is really moist and the perfect ‘pudding cake’. Serve warm or cold as a dessert with cream, yoghurt, custard or ice-cream.  It is also just as nice as a slice of cake with a cup of tea or coffee.

two dishes of trifle

Rhubarb and Ginger Trifles are a rhubarb recipe you can make with only two stalks of rhubarb so you can create a delicious creamy dessert that will feed four people. 

More Rhubarb Recipes

Warming Rhubarb Pudding from Fab Food 4 All 

Celebratory Champagne Syllabub with Orange Rhubarb Compote from Tin & Thyme

Roasted Rhubarb Ice Cream from Curly’s Cooking 

For even more rhubarb recipes follow my Rhubarb Pinterest Board 

 

Rhubarb Orange Fool Dessert

PIN FOR LATER

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Rhubarb and Orange Fool in glasses

Rhubarb and Orange Fool

Janice Pattie
A perfect balance of sweet and sour in this fruity, creamy dessert.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 4
Calories 394 kcal

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 push through a non-metallic sieve.
  • 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

If you have very red or pink rhubarb you may not need to colour it, however, it can go a sludgy green when cooked and looks nicer if it is a little pink.
A good alternative to food colouring is beetroot powder and approximately 1/2 tsp of beetroot powder will add a nice pink colour to the fool without affecting the flavour. 
Servings depend on size of portion, this recipe will serve six if served in mini ramekins and four if served in sundae glasses.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 33mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 1290IUVitamin C: 26.9mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 0.3mg
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Filed Under: Dessert, Field to Fork, Spring, Vegetarian Tagged With: dessert, orange, rhubarb

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Emma @ Supper in the suburbs says

    June 7, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    I’ve had gooseberry fool before but never rhubarb fool! Great idea 🙂 it looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 8, 2016 at 12:03 pm

      Thanks Emma, it’s much the same process and gooseberries, like rhubarb, are acidic so work really well with the cream.

      Reply
  2. Jemma Andrew-Adiamah says

    June 8, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Rhubarb and orange work so well together. I can’t believe how simple this fool is to make too, lovely!

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 8, 2016 at 12:00 pm

      Thanks Jemma, yes really simple to make.

      Reply
  3. Penelope says

    June 8, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 8, 2016 at 9:21 pm

      As we grow it in the garden, I am always looking for different ways to eat rhubarb, Penelope. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Stuart says

    June 12, 2016 at 10:03 am

    I love a fool! This rhubarb infused one sounds very tasty indeed X

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 12, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      Thanks Stuart, creamy summer fools are soooo good ☺️

      Reply
  5. Heidi Roberts says

    June 12, 2016 at 10:28 pm

    This looks lovely and summery – Our rhubarb was really fragrant this year!

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 13, 2016 at 4:58 pm

      Thanks Heidi, yes it has been a good year for rhubarb.

      Reply
  6. Nayna Kanabar says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:38 am

    I have never combined these two ingredients but looks like they work well together.

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      They definitely do Nayna, thanks

      Reply
  7. Choclette says

    June 17, 2016 at 8:34 am

    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 😉

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 17, 2016 at 11:29 am

      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.

      Reply
  8. Choclette says

    March 2, 2020 at 9:23 am

    Rhubarb and cream sounds absolutely delightful. I noticed yesterday our rhubarb was just starting to show, so I’m getting excited we might actually be able to harvest some this year. It’s been a few years now since we had our own.

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      March 2, 2020 at 10:52 am

      Our rhubarb is also just starting to show, it soon comes up once the temperature starts to rise and it does like to be well watered which hasn’t been a problem this year!

      Reply
  9. Karen says

    June 30, 2020 at 1:55 pm

    Can this be easily adapted to a healthier option by maybe half cream half yoghurt?

    Reply
    • Janice Pattie says

      June 30, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Karen, Yes you certainly can make it healthier by mixing the cream with yogurt. I would recommend thick Greek yogurt for the best results. I have made it with no cream and just yogurt, the only thing I would say about that is the flavour is different and it’s best to serve it straight away as it may split if left. Janice

      Reply

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Janice Pattie 2019

Hello, I’m Janice, I live on a farm and I love to cook and bake. My aim is to be your friend in the kitchen, providing simple and delicious recipes, friendly advice, inspiration and honest reviews. Read more on my About page.

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