Irish Blackberry Fool

With a little bit of luck, you will be able to "whip" up this Irish Blackberry Fool in 50 minutes. It's a showstopper dessert that adds a bit of "fancy" to your meal. 

Irish Blackberry Fool

Cook's Notes: According to Epicurious, the word fool (when it comes to dessert), is derived from the French word fouler, which is a verb meaning, "to crush", which refers to the crushed fruits that are layered or swirled into custard or cream. There is also an opinion that "fool" comes from the French word fou, or mad, and refers to the mixed-up (swirled) consistency of the fruit and cream. Despite the obscurity of origin you will not be fooled by this recipe.
With sweet, lightly stewed blackberries layered with tangy vanilla whipped cream and yogurt, this delicious Irish Blackberry Fool is easy to put together and universally loved. It's perfect for both fancy dinner parties and casual nights at home!
DID YOU KNOW
Fools are common desserts in Ireland as well as throughout England, Scotland and Wales. You'll find them served at small Irish pubs as well as fancy special occasion restaurants all over Ireland. Secondly, although Ireland doesn't have an official national fruit, wild blackberries grow prolifically throughout the countryside, clambering along hedges and walls, and taking root wherever they touch the ground. Because of their abundance and delicious flavor, blackberries could easily be called Ireland's favorite berry.
The adapted recipe comes from Chris at Cafe Sucre Farine

The amount of servings depends on the type of glassware used. This recipe made 4 servings using sherbet glasses as pictured above. I put some of it in a small glass jar for a different take.  

If use this jar size you could get 8 servings from the recipe. 
Irish Blackberry Fool
Ingredients:
For the berry syrup: 

• 2 cups fresh blackberries plus extra for garnish
• 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup granulated sugar

For the cream layer:

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4 teaspoons cold water
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Optional mint leaves for garnish I used crushed Amaretti Cookies

Directions:
For the berry syrup:

• Combine the blackberries, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and sugar in a medium-size saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the mixture is begging to get syrupy and berries start to lose their shape. Set aside to cool completely.

For the cream layer:

• Combine the gelatin and water in a small microwave-safe bowl and stir well. Place the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir and set aside to cool a bit.
• In a medium-sized, clean bowl, beat the cream for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken a bit. Add the gelatin mixture, powdered sugar, and vanilla and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes more.
• Fold yogurt into the whipped cream mixture using a folding motion until combined. Refrigerate until the berry mixture is cooled. 

To finish: 

Layer the blackberry syrup and the cream mixture in each serving glass two times. Garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves or crushed cookies.

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