Berry Fool for July 4th

This Berry Fool is simple to put together, refreshing and delicious. 

Can it possibly be almost the Fourth of July? I would guess we’re still somewhere back in March, or April, or maybe May. Except that it’s 95 degrees. Yes, it’s the Fourth.

We need something festive for this year’s Independence Day celebration, something that will make us grin and cheer for a minute. Will there be fireworks? I don’t know. At this point, I don’t know much of anything beyond the fact that we are still staying home. Oh, and I know that this Berry Fool can put a little spark into staying at home. Kind of like a fruity, creamy, naturally red firework. 

I will admit that the berries right now (the ones we are having delivered to our doorsteps because who goes out to the grocery store anymore?) need very little in the way of dressing them up. But if you can push great over the edge to fantastic, why not do it? This might also be the easiest thing you could possibly throw together for the Fourth: no heat, no cooking time, very few ingredients. And with a result like this, you’d be overdoing it to do anything more. 

Stay safe, and stay home everyone. And Happy Fourth.

Berry Fool

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup blueberries
1 cup chopped strawberries
Zest from ½ lemon
Juice from ½ lemon

Recipe directions: 
With a hand-held mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the cream and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Just before peaks form, add the sour cream. Whip some more until you’ve got soft peaks.

Put the blueberries and strawberries into a bowl. Sprinkle them with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Stir it all together and let the berries macerate on the counter for 15 or 20 minutes. Mash some of the berries with the back of a spoon, and stir. Gently fold half of the berries into the cream. Separately, refrigerate the cream and the remaining berries. To serve, divide the berries and cream mixture among four small bowls. Top with ¼ of the reserved macerated berries.