After the Wine Walk last week, I really wanted a good strawberry dessert. I didn’t necessarily want shortcake (ok I did, but it didn’t seem creative enough) and wanted something light. I decided to try my hand at a strawberry fool.

I found some beautiful strawberries at the farmer’s market. Plant City strawberries are still in season (getting to the end of the season, I think) so I decided to go for it. I love Jersey strawberries, but Plant City does strawberries right also – unlike tomatoes which Jersey still does best. With pretty, sweet, ripe strawberries ready, I set about trying a new dessert.

A fool is apparently a mock mousse. There are no eggs or gelatin in it, which is good. it also does not involve adding heat, so technically it is a no cook dessert. I read a few recipes and read the comments from a few recipes and decided to just wing it.

So … start with a pint of fresh strawberries. Slice down and set aside in a bowl. Add about 1/4 cup sugar and toss to coat. I also added a dash of vanilla extract just because I like the flavor. I set this in the fridge and went to run errands. When we got back, I took about 2/3 of the strawberries and blended them to a puree. The puree was surprisingly smooth.

Next came the base. I took one 7 oz container of Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, two teaspoons powdered sugar and about 2/3 of a cup of whipping cream and blended them together using a hand mixer. I tried to get the mixture to whip up like whipped cream, and it pretty much did. To the cream I added the strawberry puree and mixed again. This made the mixture a little softer, but a little more beating had it at a good consistency. I folded in the remaining strawberries and divided into four serving glasses. I could have made five or six smaller desserts, but it’s strawberry. I let them chill in the fridge for a few hours.

The result was a light, strawberry dessert that didn’t feel like it added weight to the meal. Bob said it reminded him of strawberry yogurt, but I didn’t get too much yogurt taste in it. It was sweeter than yogurt and had less of the acid tang that yogurt is known for, but still had a little tang to it. I love the little bits of fresh berries in this, and can see it working with blueberries, raspberries or even really ripe mangos. (Val, mango palooza this year?? Mango fool??)

Recipe:

• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• vanilla extract
• 7 oz Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp powdered sugar

Wash and slice the strawberries and coat with 1/4 cup sugar (dash of vanilla is optional). Toss well and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

Puree 2/3 of the strawberries in a blender until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and cream. Mix on medium speed until it begins to stiffen. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix again. Add pureed strawberries and mix to incorporate. Fold in remaining strawberries and divide among serving glasses or dishes. Chill at least one hour.