The Difference Between Fool and Filling

Paul Hollywood's critique that the custard was "not quite thick enough" and had mixed with the rhubarb "more like a fool" teaches a crucial lesson about pastry cream consistency. A fool is a traditional British dessert where fruit is intentionally folded into cream or custard to create a blended mixture. But in a layered cake, you need distinct, separate layers. The solution lies in the cornstarch ratio and cooking method. This recipe uses 1/3 cup cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons flour for 2 cups of milk—significantly more thickener than basic custard. The mixture must be whisked vigorously and brought to a full boil for 1-2 minutes to properly activate the starches. Many bakers stop too soon, fearing the custard will curdle, but pastry cream needs that boiling point. After chilling completely for at least 2 hours, the custard should be firm enough to spread without running and maintain clear boundaries between layers even when assembled with juicy fruit.