Ingredients

• 450g/1lb green gooseberries topped and tailed
• 4 tbsp water
• 10 heads elderflower
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 thick strip of lemon rind
• 290ml/½ pint crème fraîche
• sprigs of lemon balm
• mint or elderflower
• muslin to make the elderflower infusion

Directions

• Place the gooseberries in a large pan with the water and bring to the boil. Cook gently until the gooseberries begin to soften and release their juices.
• Wrap the elderflower heads in muslin
• tie and push into the gooseberries. Allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Roughly mash the gooseberry mixture with a fork or potato masher
• or lightly pulse in a food processor. Tip into a bowl and set aside to cool.
• Remove the elderflower infusion from the gooseberries and squeeze all the juices back into the bowl. Discard the muslin bag. Spoon a quarter of the gooseberry pureé into a small bowl and set aside.
• Add the crème fraîche to the remaining gooseberry pureé and gently fold it in.
• Spoon the reserved gooseberry pureé between the serving glasses. Layer the fool mixture on top of that and place the glasses in the fridge to chill until they are needed.
• To serve each fool decorate with sprigs of lemon balm
• mint or elderflower berries and serve with sponge fingers
• if liked.