Vanilla parfait: the recipe for a fresh and delicate dessert

Vanilla parfait is the ideal dessert for the summer season, it is fresh and delicate and it is the best way to end a refined dinner. Vanilla parfait has a soft and creamy consistency, given by the whipped cream and the processing of egg yolks and sugar, combined with milk. It is a very simple and quick recipe to prepare and it is also very versatile, because you can add the flavor you prefer.

This dessert of French origin is nothing more than a vanilla semifreddo, a fresh alternative if you too cannot give up the pleasure of ice cream but you don't have an ice cream maker at home.

Serve it with berries coulis, a pouring of white chocolate or honey and walnuts. For a slightly alcoholic touch, prepare a delicious cream with dark chocolate and rum.

How to prepare vanilla parfait

Beat the eggs with the sugar (1) to obtain a soft and frothy mixture. Heat the milk in a saucepan (2) together with a vanilla bean half open (3) and, as soon as it starts to boil, add it to the mixture, pouring in it.

Bring all the mixture over a very low flame (4). Stir gently with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat before boiling.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and work with still hot electric whisk. Stir until it has cooled down.

As soon as it is cold and frothy, put the mixture in the refrigerator for about 60 minutes. Also chill the mold in which you are going to pour it in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, whip the cream (5), provided it is very cold, and add it to the mixture, mixing gently from the bottom upwards with a spatula, taking care not to break the mixture.

Finally pour everything in the cold mold (6) and keep in the freezer for about 3 hours.

Preservation

You can preserve the vanilla parfait in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Freezing is not recommended, to avoid that the soft and frothy consistency break.