Josta 'Fool'

Josta berries are my latest find in the world of Northern European fruits. A cross between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry, the josta berry combines the minty brambly flavour of the blackcurrant with the texture and sweetness of a ripe gooseberry. Tart to be sure, but not so tart they sear the enamel off your teeth. This extra hint of natural sweetness means a berry puree laced with sugar is not necessary to show these lovely flavours in a dessert. Let us then create a bit of mischief in the kitchen and turn the concept of a 'fruit fool' on its head.

Traditionally, a 'fool' is a berry puree with sugar and cream (often whipped). A healthier alternative is to use a yogurt base with a bit of cream and some honey instead. Greek yogurt works wonderfully here, but I am also a big fan of Sainsbury's SO Organic natural yogurt with its perfect blend of sweet creaminess and tangy bite. Tesco, Yeo Valley, and Rachel's also make good natural yogurts. That extra splash of cream (preferably double) will give an extra richness to the yogurt, though you may want to use single cream if you are using Greek yogurt. I love a strong honey, such as chestnut honey, but in this case you want a rich honey that lacks an overpowering nuttiness. Some English heather honeys do the job wonderfully as does Tasmanian leather honey (the later, however, is not very sustainable from a food-miles perspective!). Two dollops per serving should be sufficient, but by all means adjust to taste. Don't forget your josta berries in this mixture. Be sure to remove any stalks or flower ends as you would with a gooseberry or blackcurrant.

For a bit of texture, flaked almonds can top it off, but I found this too breakfasty for my liking. Healthy yes, textural yes, but the flavours were not quite in harmony. Somewhere in the cacophony of flavours an element seemed to be up to naughty tricks, but what is cooking without the odd experiment?

There you have it - the josta berry 'fool'. Given the ease of its creation, it is an excellent dessert to spontaneously whip up on a weekday evening. For those of you in North America, Worcester berries are an excellent alternative as they are also a gooseberry derivative with an extra bit of sweetness. As the 'fool' is a very straightforward concept (which explains why it is such a brilliant dessert), feel free to experiment with your own dairy, berry, and sweetener combinations. It would be foolish not to.