Here is a recipe for an old dessert taken from my retro copy of the Dairy Book of Home Cookery (1978 edition) – you can substitute gooseberries for cooking apples, redcurrants or rhubarb.

Ingredients:

• 500g gooseberries
• 3 tbsp water
• 125g caster sugar150ml double cream
• 150ml custard (make your own get ready-made)
• 2tbsp milk

Method:

Prepare the fruit

Place the gooseberries in the a pan with the water. Bring slowly to the boil, cover and simmer until the fruit is soft

Add sugar and blend

Put the stewed fruit and sugar in to a blender and liquidise, then allow to cool

Add the cream and custard

Whip the cream and milk together until lightly stiff, then fold in the fruit puré and custard – you want to try to maintain the air bubbles

Serve

Spoon out in to dishes and chill before serving