Parfait

Did You Know?

• A recipe for "parfait au café" was included in Le livre de cuisine by Jules Gouffé, first published in 1867.
• The classical parfait glass is stemware, with a short stem and a tall slender bowl, often tapered towards the bottom.
• In South Asia (particularly Bangladesh), parfaits are made in bowl containers, rather than tall glasses.

Ingredients

A French parfait is a frozen dessert whose base combines cream with pâte à bombe, a mixture of egg yolk and sugar syrup. Because it contains sufficient fat, sugar, alcohol, and some air, it can be frozen with only occasional stirring, a technique achievable at home without special equipment. These ingredients prevent the formation of large water crystals, which would otherwise create an unpleasant, icy texture in the mouth.

International adaptations

The word "parfait" has two meanings in the UK: it can be the classic French dessert, or a very smooth liver-based meat paste, often from chicken, duck, or goose, which may be sweetened with liqueurs. In the US, parfait also covers the French dessert, but there is a popular American version made by layering whipped cream, ice cream, sometimes fruit, and occasionally liqueurs. This is typically served in a tall, clear glass, though a short, stubby one works too, so the layers are visible. Another style layers yogurt with granola, nuts, or fresh fruits like peaches, strawberries, or blueberries, and is called a yogurt or fruit parfait.