I may have gone a little overboard in the rhubarb department this year. Every time I see it at a farmers market, I can’t control myself and buy another pound. Pink, green, red — it doesn’t matter to me, and it shouldn’t to you. Unless you’re making an intense, geometrically designed pie and need specific colors, but I promise you it all tastes the same.

For a Jewish holiday a few weeks ago, I actually made a savory rhubarb salad with celery and radishes, paired with a dressing that incorporated rhubarb and jalapeño. My goodness, it was wonderful. But today, I’m here to talk desserts: specifically, a rhubarb and strawberry fool.

A fool is a classic British dessert where, traditionally, macerated fruits are folded into custard. However, both of my kids will tell you, without any prompting, that I am known to burn the custard every year on Passover. So, I’ve made things easier on myself by switching the custard out for whipped cream — it’s a thing, I promise — and alternating it with layers of rhubarb compote.

I brought this fool, prepared in a trifle dish for maximum visual effect, to my fifth grader’s promotion party, and it was a big hit with the over-45 crowd.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Fool. MOLLY PARR / For the Gazette

I kept the rhubarb on the tart side for this batch to balance the sweetness of the whipped cream. You can always add more maple syrup if you would like; rhubarb is actually a vegetable, not a fruit, and it requires a ton of sweetener.

I kept the powdered sugar-to-heavy cream ratio at 1 tablespoon of sweetener to 1 cup of cream. This allows you to scale up and make a huge amount, like I did, leaving you with plenty of leftovers for weeknight sundaes.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Fool

Whipped Cream 

Ingredients 

2 cups heavy cream 

2 Tablespoons powder sugar

Directions

Put both ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a bowl to use with hand-mixers. Beat the liquid on medium-high until soft peaks form, about six minutes. 

Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote

Ingredients

3 cups rhubarb chopped into 1-inch pieces

One quarter cup of maple syrup 

Zest of one lemon

2 cups cleaned and quartered fresh strawberries

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rhubarb, syrup and lemon zest. Bring to a summer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the rhubarb becomes tender and sauce-like, about 8 minutes. MOLLY PARR / For the Gazette

Directions

Rhubard compote

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rhubarb, syrup and lemon zest. Bring to a summer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the rhubarb becomes tender and sauce-like, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cleaned strawberries and cook for about four more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. This will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Building the fool

If you have a clear container, like a trifle dish or medium glass bowl, this is the perfect time to use it. Start by spooning a layer of compote to cover the bottom of the dish, making sure there are no holes. Plop a thick layer of whipped cream on top — I find that a silicone spatula is great for spreading the cream into a smooth layer. Repeat the layer of compote, followed by a layer of whipped cream, and so on. 

Cover with a piece of saran, and let set in the fridge for at least an hour. 

Molly Parr lives in Florence with her husband and two young daughters. She’s been writing her food blog, Cheap Beets, since 2010. Send questions or comments to molly.parr@gmail.com.