For centuries, however, smart chefs have known another, much easier way to produce a fine texture in a frozen dessert: Base it on sweetened meringue, folded together with whipped cream and embellished with flavorings of your choice. Packed into molds and then frozen, the mixture becomes the icy treat called a parfait – literally “perfect” in French and, well, a perfect description of the simple, refined and delicious results. Your guests will praise the perfection of your dessert-making skills.

How To Make Summertime Apricot and Crystallized Ginger Parfait
Sweet parfait recipe with a hint of spice from crystallized ginger
Ingredients
- 6 large apricots, ripe
- ¼ cup crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
- 4 egg whites
- ¼ cup orange blossom honey
- ½ cup toasted almonds, optional, sliced
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
- fresh berries, for garnish (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and fill a mixing bowl with ice and water.
- With a small knife, score a shallow X in the skin of each apricot.
- With a slotted spoon, lower the apricots into the boiling water for about 30 seconds; then, immediately remove them with the spoon and transfer to the ice water.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Remove the skins from the apricots.
- Cut each apricot in half, remove the stone, chop the fruit coarsely, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
- With flavorless nonstick cooking spray, evenly spray the insides of two 8-by-5-inch loaf pans.
- Line each pan with plastic wrap, allowing 4 inches of plastic wrap to extend beyond each long top edge.
- Put the pans in the freezer to chill thoroughly for at least 1 hour.
- Put the cream in a large mixing bowl.
- With electric beaters at medium speed, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks that droop slightly when the beaters are lifted out. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, honey, and water.
- Put the pan over medium heat, insert a candy thermometer into the mixture but not touching the pan's side or bottom, and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture registers 235 degrees.
- Remove from the heat and let the bubbles disperse.
- In another clean mixing bowl, put the egg whites, and with clean beaters, start beating them at low speed.
- When they turn white and frothy and build in volume, hold the pan of hot syrup above the bowl and, still beating, carefully pour the hot syrup in a steady stream into the egg whites.
- Continue beating, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides, until the egg whites triple in volume, cool, and form a firm, glossy meringue.
- With a spatula, fold the apricots and crystallized ginger into the meringue.
- Fold in the reserved whipped cream until evenly blended.
- If desired, gently fold in the almonds and lemon juice.
- Spoon the mixture into the two chilled lined loaf pans.
- With a spatula, smooth the surface.
- Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the mixture.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, unmold and unwrap each parfait loaf.
- With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, slice the loaf crosswise into individual portions, transferring each slice to a chilled dessert plate.
- Garnish with fresh berries and mint sprigs, if desired.
- Serve immediately. Makes two 9-by-5-inch loaves.
Nutrition
- Sugar: 13g
- :
- Calcium: 37mg
- Calories: 192kcal
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Cholesterol: 41mg
- Fat: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Iron: 1mg
- Potassium: 126mg
- Protein: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Sodium: 29mg
- Vitamin A: 774IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
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