Just because we post stories that align with the national days, doesn’t mean that is the only day you should focus on a particular food or recipe. Our articles are intended to give you some insight, information and recipes for as many different kinds of foods as possible.

So, today’s focus is on strawberry parfait. We have covered strawberries from many different angles here at Fork U Academy. But just like strawberries themselves, they never get old.

Strawberry parfait originated from France in the late 1800s and has since become a part of the European and American dessert culture.

The oldest recipe dates back to 1892. The French version of parfait consisted of custard made from sugar, eggs, cream, and syrup. In French, the word “parfait” means ” something perfect” from Latin perfectus. The official definition of “parfait” is:

/pɑːrˈfeɪ/ uk. /ˌpɑːˈfeɪ/ a cold sweet food made from sugar, eggs, cream, and usually other flavors such as fruit or alcohol: a strawberry parfait.

There are basically two types of ‘parfait’ – the original French version which is a rich cold dessert and the American version which more like a sundae topped with ice cream, granola, fruits, whipped cream, and served in a tall glass. Some would argue that there is a third type that replaces ice cream with yogurt. Several cultures around the world claim to have a local version of parfait. Over the years since, the parfait has been reimagined as a layered dessert served in a clear glass. For practical purposes the modern parfait consists of layered items; fruits or fruit gelatin, ice cream, whipped cream or yogurt and optional nuts and sauces or chocolate. Parfaits can even be made with a very smooth meat paste (or pâté), usually made from liver (chicken, duck or goose) and sometimes sweetened with liqueurs.

Parfaits therefor are quite versatile. Based on its ingredients, a parfait can be a regular meal, dessert or a breakfast dish. A question we get a lot is, “Are parfaits healthy for you?” Greek yogurt parfaits are definitely a healthy breakfast option, as they are full of fiber, healthy fats, and protein that will keep you fuller longer.

 

Here is a Modern Strawberry Parfait Recipe:

Ingredients

1 ½ quarts strawberries hulled and cubed (Reserve 6 whole berries for garnishing)

2 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 cups vanilla wafer or graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

12 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (regular or low fat)

2 tsp vanilla

1 8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed i.e. Cool Whip divided

 

Instructions

• In a mediums size bowl, toss cubed strawberries with 2 tablespoon sugar. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, toss together vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened then set aside.
• Using an electric mixer whip together cream cheese, condensed milk, ½ whipped topping and vanilla until smooth.
• To assemble parfaits: Start with 2 heaping tablespoon cheesecake cream topped with 2 heaping Tbsp buttered crumbs and 2 heaping tablespoon strawberries. Repeat layers ending with cheesecake cream. (Reserve a small bit of crumbs to garnish the top, if desired)
• To garnish: Top each parfait with a few crumbs and divide the remaining whipped topping evenly among the parfaits. Decorate with one whole berry.
• Chill for 2 hours then serve.

 

So hopefully today we have given you some good information about the beloved parfait. Hopefully this article inspires you to get creative and create your own variations. We’d love to hear from you in the comments if you do. I am sure whatever you create will be perfect!