Rhubarb Rose Fool with Almond Crunch
‘I haven’t tried this myself yet, but it went down a treat with my (non plant based) husband.’
Kerry B, Cumbria; Food Customer
Table of Contents
- ✨ Before We Begin…
- The Cook’s Mind
- A Note on Origin
- Ingredient Focus: Agar Agar Powder
- My Favourite Way To Eat
- Serving Suggestions
- Multi-Purpose Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What Will You Learn Whilst Making This Recipe?
- Handpicked to Go With This One
- Waste Less: How To Use Up Your Ingredient Stash!
- Rhubarb Rose Fool with Almond Crunch Recipe
✨ Before We Begin…
This dessert knows how to whisper — not shout. It’s quietly perfumed, perfectly pink, and full of the soft drama that makes spring desserts sing. Folded gently, topped with crackle, and served in the sunshine if you can.
‘Must be best food offer, of any genre, in Kendal. Hugely accomplished cooking and very much recommended.’
Tony P, Kendal; Food Customer
The Cook’s Mind
Use the gentlest heat for the rhubarb — no rush. The agar needs simmering time to do its work, and a good chill before serving. Don’t expect a firm set — the texture is barely-there, just enough to keep the yoghurt and rhubarb from parting ways.
Make-Ahead
- Can be made 1–2 days in advance. Store fool and almond crunch separately.
- Assemble just before serving for best texture.
Freezer-Friendly
- Not suitable for freezing — the Oatgurt splits and the crunch softens.
Rescue Mission – What To Do When Things Go Wrong
- Set too firm? Use less agar next time — just a whisper (⅛ tsp or less).
- Didn’t set at all? Make sure the agar simmered for at least 5 minutes.
- Rhubarb too sharp? Add a drizzle more maple or stir through extra Oatgurt.
Key Substitutions
- Oatgurt → any unsweetened plant yoghurt
- Maple syrup → agave or light brown sugar
- Orange → lemon zest and juice
- Flaked almonds → chopped hazelnuts or sunflower seeds
Cooking Parlance
Softly set: a texture that wobbles gently rather than holding firm — like a whisper of a gel. It’s the opposite of stiff or sliceable. Think tender spoonfuls that yield without resistance — the kind of set that invites quiet, lingering bites.
A Note on Origin
A whisper of rose, a hint of orange, and the tart kiss of early rhubarb — this fool is a plant-based reimagining of the classic British dessert. The almond crunch brings texture and a modern warmth, echoing the shortbread or biscuit toppings from childhood versions.
Ingredient Focus: Agar Agar Powder
Agar agar is a plant-based setting agent made from red seaweed. Unlike gelatine, it sets at room temperature and holds its shape even in warmer weather — but only when brought to a proper simmer. It offers a gentler, more delicate texture than cornflour or starch. Use sparingly — it’s powerful stuff, best measured in whispers.
✨ A ghost of the sea — silent, strong, and softly setting.
My Favourite Way To Eat
This is one to eat with a loved one. It’s pure soulmate food. Long spoon and glass bowl. Perfect.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in glass tumblers layered with extra rhubarb and crushed biscuit
- Add a scoop of lemon sorbet for a more dramatic dessert
- Use the rhubarb and crunch to top porridge or overnight oats
Multi-Purpose Recipe
This recipe has more than one life…
Part pudding, part breakfast topper — this fool deserves more than one moment.
Try using the rhubarb as a compote with granola, or spoon the almond crunch over plant-based ice cream for a five-minute sundae.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s a celebration of texture and flavour — cool and creamy, sharp and soothing, soft and crackly. A light touch dessert that feels quietly extravagant.
What Will You Learn Whilst Making This Recipe?
- How to use agar agar to create a softly set texture
- Gentle techniques for poaching fruit without losing shape or flavour
- How to balance sharp, sweet, and creamy in a minimalist dessert
Handpicked to Go With This One
A few recipes that play well together — flavour friends, not just neighbours.
Waste Less: How To Use Up Your Ingredient Stash!
Got something spare — a handful, a spoonful, or the end of a packet? These tags help you find other ways to use it. It’s a small step toward cooking intuitively and wasting less❣️
agar agar powder, flaked almonds, golden caster sugar, maple syrup, rhubarb, rose water, stem ginger syrup, vanilla extract, yoghurt
Rhubarb Rose Fool with Almond Crunch Recipe
Rhubarb Rose Fool with Almond Crunch
A creamy, plant-based rhubarb fool folded with oatgurt and kissed with rose. Lightly set with agar for a soft wobble, then topped with golden maple almond crunch. A spring dessert that’s as elegant as it is easy.
Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Rhubarb Rose Fool
- 300 g rhubarb | trimmed weight; 3cm long chunks
- 70 g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ unit orange | zest and juice
- 1 tsp stem ginger syrup | the syrup from the jar
- ⅛ tsp agar agar powder
- ¼ tsp rose water
- 150 ml Oatly Oatgurt
Ingredients for the Almond Crunch
- 20 g flaked almonds
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ pinch sea salt
Instructions
Instructions to make the Almond Crunch
- Toast flaked almonds in a dry pan until golden. Drizzle over maple and add a pinch of salt. Stir until coated and sticky, then tip onto parchment to cool and crisp. I put mine in the fridge.20 g flaked almonds, ½ tbsp maple syrup, ½ pinch sea salt
Instructions to make the Rhubarb Rose Fool
- Prepare the rhubarb. Put it into a saucepan with the ingredients listed and cook on a low heat for 8–10 minutes.300 g rhubarb, 70 g golden caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ unit orange, 1 tsp stem ginger syrup
- Carefully remove the cooked rhubarb from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the agar agar powder, mix it into the juice so that it dissolves, and cook it through for 5 minutes on a low heat. Pour this mix (it will be loose and it won't thicken like cornflour) over the fruit and allow to cool and firm up in the fridge. It will not firm up like jelly. It's a very gentle set that we're putting into the rhubarb here. Mainly so the rhubarb can more easily make friends with the yoghurt later.⅛ tsp agar agar powder
- When it comes time to serve, tip the yoghurt into a bowl and beat with a spoon or fork to break it up and to make it smooth. Add the rose water and mix. Then fold 80-90% of the rhubarb through the yoghurt and spoon it blobbily into glass bowls. Top with the remaining rhubarb and add some Almond Crunch.150 ml Oatly Oatgurt, ¼ tsp rose water
- If I might advise: when choosing a vessel for this pudding, glass works well, but full glasses of it look awful!
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 8gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 77mgPotassium: 719mgFiber: 4gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 159IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 317mgIron: 1mg
Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
COPYRIGHT
© The Golden Polar Bear, 2025. Recipes and photography by Julia Savory. If you share this, please pass it along with kindness and if possible share a link back to this site. #ForTheAnimals
Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.
Next Steps?
You’ve got the full recipe — now take it further. Inside Black Labrador, you’ll find structured video courses and an ever-growing cookbook designed to help you cook with understanding, not guesswork. Learn, revisit, and deepen your skills at your own pace.
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Kerry B, Cumbria
