Fresh berry parfaits are the ideal summer
dessert because they are so light and refreshing, but what I love most about
them is how they combine various textures and flavors in every spoonful. A
simple formula for a classic summer parfaits starts with a layer of cake
topped
with berries and then sandwiched with a cream of some sort. For this Blueberry
Almond Parfait, I made a simple almond frangipane cake, which is very moist, slightly
dense and pairs beautifully with fresh berries. I chose blueberries for my
fruit,
cooking one-third of them briefly with a little sugar and then folding
in the remaining third with a little lemon juice, which gives them a slightly
saucy consistency. For my cream layer, I kept thing simple by whipping up some
cream with mascarpone cheese and sugar.
Though it slipped my mind today, I
usually serve this parfait with a biscotti or almond cookie or some sort,
though you could also top it off with some lightly toasted almond slices for a
bit of crunch.
Blueberry
Almond Parfait
Makes 4 servings
Almond
Cake:
7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, at
room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (100 g) almond
flour
2 large (100 g) eggs
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (10 g)
all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 g) vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 g) dark rum
Blueberry
Layer:
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mascarpone
Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
Make
the Almond Cake:
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the interior of an 8-inch square baking
pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer
fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together at medium
speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the almond flour and
mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure that each addition
is incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour, salt, vanilla extract
and rum and mix until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and
bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
clean. Cool the cake set on a wire rack.
3. Cut out eight 2-inch rounds from the
cake and set them aside.
Make
the Blueberry Layer:
3. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of
the blueberries with the sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly,
until the sugar dissolves and the blueberries give off their liquid, about 2 or
3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining blueberries
and lemon juice.
Make
the Mascarpone Cream:
4.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip all ingredients together at high
speed until soft peaks form.
Assemble
the parfait:
5. Place an almond cake round in the
bottom of a parfait or wine glass, then
top with a layer of blueberries. Top
with a layer of Mascarpone Cream. Repeat the layering once more. Serve
immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
