Parfait

The name can mean different things: a chilled, layered dessert served in a glass, or a rich frozen dessert. In French, parfait means “perfect”; French-style parfait is usually made by whisking egg yolks with sugar and folding in whipped cream before freezing.

Layer yoghurt or whipped cream with fruit, compote and crunchy ingredients such as toasted oats or biscuits in a glass. Add the crunchy layer just before serving so it stays crisp.

Yes. Assemble the creamy and fruit layers a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge; add granola, nuts or biscuits at the last minute to prevent them going soft.

Keep frozen parfait in a tightly covered container in the freezer. Let it soften briefly in the fridge before serving, rather than thawing it on the worktop, and do not refreeze it once fully thawed.

Fresh berries, sliced stone fruit and a little fruit coulis work well with creamy parfait. For a crunchy contrast, add toasted nuts, granola or crumbled biscuits just before serving.

For a lighter layered dessert, use thick Greek-style yoghurt or a plant-based yoghurt in place of whipped cream. The result will be tangier and less airy, so layer it with sweet fruit or compote.

Not always. Frozen parfait is a rich, smooth dessert, often made with whipped cream and egg yolks, while ice cream is churned as it freezes to incorporate air; a layered parfait is served chilled and is not frozen at all.

Parfait has 340 kcal per 100 g, compared with 328 kcal in vanilla parfait. Recipes differ, so the names alone do not tell you whether a particular serving is frozen or layered.