I've always wondered how fool got its name but never bothered to look it up. Perhaps it's because it's so simple a fool could make it? Of course, simplicity and sloppiness should never be confused—the fewer the elements a dish has, the more execution matters. In the case of fool, fruit compote and softly whipped cream are the sole components. <br /> <br />As long as you have access to fresh fruit you can make fool year round—I've made many a berry fool, as well as peach, plum, pear, and even pineapple. There are but two cardinal rules: you must taste the cooked fruit and make sure it's properly sweetened (as Goldilocks might say, it should be neither too sweet nor too sour), and you must never over-whip your cream (remember you'll be mixing it a second time when you fold in the fruit). Heed these, and the world of fool is yours. <br /> <br />For a variation on the method, try making this <strong>Peach and Raspberry Fool</strong>: Substitute the fruit in the recipe for 2 3/4 cups peaches and 1 cup raspberries, and follow the same method. For an aromatic version, make this <strong>Pear, Ginger, and Cardamom Fool</strong>: Start with 4 cups roughly chopped pears, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground fresh cardamom. Cook the pear with the sugar, ginger, and cardamom, and then pass through a sieve. Follow the same method from there. <br /> <br />For a sweet, tropical version, try this <strong>Mango and Coconut Fool</strong>: Substitute the apple and blackberries for 3 1/2 cups mango, and replace 1/4 cup heavy cream with coconut cream. Otherwise, follow the same method. For a perfectly tart variation, make this <strong>Rhubarb and Vanilla Bean Fool</strong>: Substitute the apple and blackberries for 4 1/2 cups rhubarb, double the sugar, and scrape 1/2 vanilla bean into the rhubarb before cooking. Follow the same method from there. <br /> <br /><em>This recipe was developed in partnership with <a href="https://f52.co/2rpZPm8">Le Cordon Bleu</a>.</em>

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