Parfait

Parfait (/pɑːrˈfeɪ/ par-FAY,[1][2] UK also /ˈpɑːrfeɪ/ PAR-fay,[3] French: [paʁfɛ] ⓘ; 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 or meringue-like puree which is then frozen. 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]

This article is about the frozen dessert. For the religious leader known as a Parfait, see Cathar Perfect.
Parfait
Layered Japanese parfait models in Osaka, Japan
CourseDessert
Place of originFrance
Serving temperatureFrozen
Main ingredientsSugar, syrup, eggs, cream
French parfait
Layered American parfait in Tokyo, Japan
Jelly of quail, langoustine cream and parfait of foie gras at The Fat Duck

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 a 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. In South Asia (particularly Bangladesh), parfaits are made in bowl containers, rather than tall glasses.

History

A recipe for "parfait au café", a coffee-flavoured ice cream dessert made using a "parfait-mould" (un moule à parfait), was included in Le livre de cuisine by Jules Gouffé, first published in 1867,[7] and translated into English as The Royal Cookery Book by his brother Alphonse Gouffé in 1869.[8]

France

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 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 either to the French dessert or to a very smooth meat paste (or pâté), usually made from liver (chicken, duck or goose) and sometimes sweetened with liqueurs.[10]

United States

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 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).[11][12] This version is sometimes called a yogurt parfait or fruit parfait.

See also

References
  1. "PARFAIT". Cambridge English Dictionary. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  2. "Parfait". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  3. "parfait". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2020-11-16.
  4. "Parfait". iFood.tv.
  5. "Parfait definition". Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017.
  6. "Nigel Slater's parfait and Christmas fruit cookies recipes". The Guardian. 22 December 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  7. Gouffé, Jules (1884) [First published 1867]. Le Livre de Cuisine (in French) (6th ed.). Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  8. Gouffé, Jules (1869). The Royal Cookery Book. Translated by Alphonse Gouffé. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  9. SouthFloridaReporter.com (2018-11-25). "The Parfait Dates Back To 1864 As A "Perfect" Frozen Dessert". South Florida Reporter. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  10. Recipe by Barney Desmazery. "Velvety duck liver parfait recipe - Recipes". BBC Good Food. Retrieved 2011-11-24.
  11. "Yogurt Parfait". General Mills. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
  12. "Fruit 'N Yogurt Parfait: McDonald's Parfait Cup". www.mcdonalds.com. McDonald's. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
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