Parfait

Prepared according to all the rules, parfait exactly corresponds to its name - parfait in French means beautiful, immaculate. It is customary to eat this delicacy in no hurry, savoring each spoon of the most delicate dessert, which is distinguished by its divine taste and no less pleasant aftertaste.

At the heart of creamy parfait are well-beaten fatty cream with powdered sugar and natural vanilla or vanilla essence. The whipped mixture is packaged in a split metal mold, which consists of two halves, and then frozen for about 2 hours. If eggs or egg whites are added to the parfait, the freezing time can be extended to 3-4 hours. The consistency of parfait differs from the structure of ordinary ice cream in greater density and slower thawing.

Quite often, it is customary to add a variety of flavors to creamy parfa - grated chocolate, instant coffee or cocoa powder. Much less often, liqueurs and other alcoholic beverages can be found in the composition of this dessert, and berry mousses or fruit juices are even less often present.

Before starting to prepare parfait, the cream is kept in the refrigerator for about a day and only after that it is beaten. In addition, all other components that are added to the base product are also thoroughly cooled, practically frozen. Otherwise, when whipping, the parfa will not hold its shape and may fall. And if berry mousse or fruit juice is added to dessert, then it is likely that if the finished dish is not cooled enough. That is why only experienced chefs and pastry chefs can cook fruit parfait.

The preparation of parfait in restaurants is most often carried out by experienced craftsmen according to a "safe" recipe, that is, with the addition of coffee or chocolate. For freezing, as a rule, metal detachable forms are used in the form of fruits - pears, apples, lemons, pineapples or large plums. More complex forms in the form of animal figures or various colors are also used, but such a parfait is considered restaurant chic, which not everyone can afford.

American parfait is also known, which is a complex dessert consisting of numerous layers. Most often these are whipped cream and ice cream, in which other ingredients are added - granola, yogurt, nuts, fresh fruits, syrups or liqueurs. Parfa appeared in the United States at the end of the 19th century, and since then it has periodically lost or regained popularity. American parfait is traditionally served in high glass glasses so that all layers of dessert are clearly visible.