 | |
| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | France |
| Serving temperature | Frozen |
| Main ingredients | Sugar,syrup,eggs,cream |
Parfait (/pɑːrˈfeɪ/par-FAY,[1][2]UK also/ˈpɑːrfeɪ/PAR-fay,[3]French:[paʁfɛ]ⓘ; meaning "perfect") is either of two types ofdessert. In France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create acustard-like ormeringue-like puree which is then frozen. The American version consists of layers differentiated by the inclusion of such ingredients asgranola,nuts,yogurt andliqueurs, topped off with fruits orwhipped cream.[4][5]
French parfait is usually served in thick, decorated slices on a plate.[6] American parfait is typically served in tall glassware together with a long spoon known as aparfait spoon. The classical parfait glass isstemware, with a short stem and a tall slender bowl, often tapered towards the bottom, also used for servingmilkshakes. In South Asia (particularlyBangladesh), parfaits are made in bowl containers, rather than tall glasses.
A recipe for "parfait au café", a coffee-flavoured ice cream dessert made using a "parfait-mould" (un moule à parfait), was included inLe livre de cuisine byJules Gouffé, first published in 1867,[7] and translated into English asThe Royal Cookery Book by his brother Alphonse Gouffé in 1869.[8]
In France,parfait refers to a frozen dessert made from a base of sugar syrup, egg, and cream.[9] A parfait contains enough fat, sugar, alcohol, and to a lesser extent, air, to allow it to be made by stirring infrequently while freezing, making it possible to create in a home kitchen without specialist equipment. The fat, sugar, alcohol or air interferes with the formation of water crystals, which would otherwise give theice cream an uncomfortable texture in the mouth. The formation of ice crystals is managed in the making of regular ice cream by agitating the ice cream constantly while it freezes or chemically by addingglycerol. Neither should be necessary when making a high-quality parfait.
In the United Kingdom,parfait can refer either to the French dessert or to a very smooth meat paste (orpâté), usually made fromliver (chicken,duck orgoose) and sometimes sweetened withliqueurs.[10]
In the United States,parfait refers to either the traditional French-style dessert or to a popular variant, the American parfait, made by layeringwhipped cream,ice cream, sometimes fruit and occasionallyliqueurs. It is usually served in a tall clear glass, but can also be served in a short, stubby glass. The clear glass allows the layers of the dessert to be seen.
Parfaits can also be made by layeringyogurt with granola, nuts, and/or fresh fruits (such aspeaches,strawberries, orblueberries).[11][12] This version is sometimes called ayogurt parfait orfruit parfait.
