Raspberry Orange-Blossom Fool 

Light and fruity fool makes an ideal summer dessert. Instead of the classic English version with fruit in custard—or the American shortcut, fruit folded into whipped cream—this recipe uses a blend of sweet mascarpone and rich, Greek yogurt. Orange-blossom water adds more brightness than the traditional rose water. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 12 ounces greek-style yogurt, whole-milk
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• 1 package fresh raspberries
• 4 gingersnap cookies
• Fresh mint for garnish

Directions

1 | Allow the mascarpone cheese to come to room temperature. Chill four small glasses in the freezer.

2 | Wash the raspberries and allow to dry on a paper towel.

3 | In a Ziplock bag, crush the gingersnap cookies into a fine crumble and set aside.

4 | Once the mascarpone cheese has come to room temperature, combine it with the yogurt and four tablespoons of maple syrup in a medium mixing bowl until all the ingredients are well-incorporated and smooth in texture. You can adjust the desired sweetness by adding additional maple syrup one teaspoon at a time.  Add the orange blossom water and stir until combined.

5 | Spoon the mascarpone mixture evenly into the four chilled glasses. Top with raspberries and drizzle the additional two tablespoons of maple syrup evenly between all four glasses. Refrigerate until it’s time to serve. To finish, sprinkle with the crumbled gingersnap cookies and garnish with a sprig of mint.

See Joseph’s tips for creating a late-summer menu and more recipes for summertime gatherings.