Facts About Parfait
Parfait describes two types of frozen dessert. In France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create a custard-like puree which is sometimes served in a parfait glass. The American version includes more ingredients like granola, nuts, yogurt and liqueurs made in combination with a topping of fruits or whipped cream that are layered and served in a tall glass. The oldest known recipe dates back to 1892 c le nom de l'autre aussi.
France
In France, parfait refers to a frozen dessert made from a base of sugar syrup, egg, and cream. A parfait contains enough fat, sugar, alcohol, and/or, 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.
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/or fruit, usually in a tall clear glass, but can be in a short and stubby glass. The clear glass displays the layers of the dessert. The topping is created with whipped cream, fresh or canned fruit, and/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). This version is sometimes called a yogurt parfait or fruit parfait.
Switzerland