Blueberry& Pistachio Fool — The Broken Bread

There's something really special about this time of year in Seattle. As many of you may already know, the rain and clouds are a familiar friend of this city. I knew this would be the case when I moved here, and I readily accepted this truth with arms wide open. But, as I later learned after moving here, an incredible thing eventually happens after months of nostalgic grey: Summer arrives, and the city that I already love transforms into a land of vibrant color. Trees are covered with multi-colored blooms, and the local lakes are filled with people, all of which are out relaxing on the plush green grass enjoying their lunch with loved ones. Seattle truly comes alive during this time of the year, and I feel so lucky to live here. So, you already know the city is looking pretty good this time of year, but what about the seasonal produce? Well, Seattle doesn't disappoint because the produce available during the summer is incredible—my absolute favorite fruit hits the markets this time of year, and blueberries are amongst my most treasured.

Did you know that July is officially blueberry month? Well it is, and that means you need to get yourself to the market and scoop up as many of these gorgeous blueberries as you can get your hands on. I always make an effort to go pick my own berries, but since this isn't always an option for me I am super thankful that I can snag a box of Driscoll's blueberries from my local market. Their blueberries are super sweet, and since Driscoll's distribution center is in the PNW, I know I am getting the freshest berries.

There are so many wonderful ways to incorporate fresh seasonal blueberries into a dessert. You can turn them into pie, add them to some homemade popsicles, or hey, if you can stand turning on your oven, you could mix them into a cake. For my little hoard of berries, I thought it would be fun to make something a little different, so today I am sharing with you my recipe for a delicious blueberry fool. My recipe is a play on a traditional English dessert that mixes custard with puréed or stewed fruit. As much as I love custard, I wanted to simplify this dessert, so I made these fools with whipped cream and some decadent crème fraîche. This dessert is quite easy to make, but what I find most surprising is that with only a few ingredients, I ended up making a truly satisfying dessert that would please anyone's sweet tooth. But let's be real, I'm fairly certain this dessert tastes as good as it does because of those sun-ripened blueberries.

Blueberry & Pistachio Fool

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 cup fresh Organic Driscoll's blueberries, or other fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup créme fraîche

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar, or more to taste

pinch salt

chopped, toasted pistachios, for garnish

Equipment: Saucepan, medium bowl, spatula or other large spoon, standing or handheld mixer.

Method

Add the blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice, to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the blueberries to come to a gentle simmer, and continue to cook until they release their juices, and some have slightly burst; about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked blueberries to a medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator to chill completely.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the heavy cream, crème fraîche, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, pinch of salt, and beat until stiff peaks form. Taste the whipped cream, adding more powdered sugar if desired.

Remove the chilled blueberries from the refrigerator, and place a small spoonful of the cooked berries into each glass. Add the remaining blueberries to the whipped cream and gently fold to combine. Make sure not to over mix at this point as this can deflate the dessert.

Evenly divide the blueberry fool amongst desired serving glasses, and garnish with chopped pistachios before serving.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Broken Bread. This post was sponsored by Driscoll and The Feed Feed. All opinions are my own.