Parfait (/pɑːrˈfeɪ/,[1][2] also UK: /ˈpɑːrfeɪ/,[3] French: [paʁfɛ] (listen); meaning "perfect") is either of two types of dessert. In France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create a custard-like puree. The American version consists of layers differentiated by the inclusion of such ingredients as granola, nuts, yogurt and liqueurs, topped off with fruits or whipped cream.[4][5] The oldest known recipe dates back to 1894.[6]

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Parfait

Layered Japanese parfait models in Osaka, Japan
Course	Dessert
Place of origin	France
Serving temperature	Frozen
Main ingredients	Sugar, syrup, eggs, cream
Media: Parfait

Either type is typically served in tall glassware together with a long spoon known as parfait spoon. The classical parfait glass is stemware, with a short stem and a tall slender bowl, often tapered towards the bottom, also used for serving milkshakes.

France

In France, parfait refers to a frozen dessert made from a base of sugar syrup, egg, and cream.[7] 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 the ice 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 adding glycerol. Neither should be necessary when making a high-quality parfait.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, parfait can refer to a very smooth meat paste (or pâté), usually made from liver (chicken or duck) and sweetened with liqueurs.[8]

United States and Canada

In the United States, parfait refers to either the traditional French-style dessert or to a popular variant, the American parfait, made by layering parfait cream, ice cream, and sometimes fruit. It is usually served in a tall clear glass, but can also be served in a short and stubby glass. The clear glass allows the layers of the dessert to be seen. A topping is usually created with whipped cream, fresh or canned fruit, or liqueurs.

Recent trends in the United States and Canada have introduced parfaits without cream or liqueurs. These are made by simply layering yogurt with granola, nuts, and/or fresh fruits (such as peaches, strawberries, or blueberries).[9][10] This version is sometimes called a yogurt parfait or fruit parfait. Vegan parfaits are also available. [11]

See also

• Semifreddo
• List of French desserts
• List of custard desserts

References

External links

• Allrecipes.com: Parfait Recipes

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