Seasonal blackcurrant fool

Desserts are one of the trickiest courses when you’re on any diet, but particularly on The Dissident Diet. Normally I sidestep the whole affair by providing cheese, celery and some UK grown fruit, which tends to be lower in sugar.

At this time of year, however, my blackcurrant bushes are weighed down and it’s a flavour I find irresistible. I also believe that eating a little fruit for the couple of weeks when it’s in season (as averse to stuffing our faces with fruit all year round)  is exactly what our bodies need.

With that in mind I’m attaching my recipe for a Dissident Blackcurrant Fool:

Ingredients:

250 g blackcurrants
up to 1 tbsp xylosweet (xylitol)
200 ml double cream
200 ml Greek yoghurt
5 very finely chopped mint leaves (optional)
Sprinkling of lavender buds.

Method:

Top and tail your blackcurrants, rinse, and place in your cooking pan.

Sprinkle with the amount of xylitol you prefer (it’s a safe sugar substitute that doesn’t impact insulin levels) and cook over a medium heat until just bubbling and starting to burst. I prefer my fool with a little texture so I don’t sieve them, but you can if you like.
Leave to cool.

Whip the double cream until softly peaking. Fold the cold blackcurrants and Greek Yoghurt into the cream and add the finely chopped mint if using. You can leave a marbled appearance, or stir it to an even colour.

Serve in little glass dishes sprinkled with lavender buds.

NB: You can alter the ratio of blackcurrants to cream/yoghurt according to taste, depending on whether you prefer the intensity of the fruit or the richness of the cream.