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Hazelnut Parfait

17/11/2023

I can provide you with a recipe for preparing a delicious Hazelnut Parfait, a cold dessert full of taste typical of the French tradition, but with a distinctly Italian touch provided by the hazelnuts that are highly appreciated and used in Italian cuisine, particularly those from Piedmont.

Ingredients

  • 150 g of sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 ml of water
  • 300 ml of fresh cream
  • 150 g of toasted and chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 tablespoon of hazelnut liqueur (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by toasting the hazelnuts in the oven or in a pan until they become golden and fragrant. Then, finely chop them.

  2. Prepare a syrup by bringing the water and sugar to a boil, until it reaches a temperature of 121 °C. If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, cook until the sugar starts to thread.

  3. In the meantime, in a heat-resistant bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a whisk until they become light and frothy.

  4. Add the hot sugar syrup to the yolks, continuing to stir to avoid coagulation.

  5. Once all the syrup has been incorporated, continue to beat until the mixture has cooled and is thick and creamy.

  6. Whip the fresh cream in a separate bowl until it is firmly whipped and set it aside.

  7. Gently fold the whipped cream into the yolk and sugar mixture, then add the chopped hazelnuts to the mix.

  8. If you wish, you can enrich your parfait with a tablespoon of hazelnut liqueur to intensify the flavor.

  9. Pour the mixture into a plumcake mold lined with cling film or into individual molds.

  10. Freeze the parfait for at least 4-6 hours, until it has solidified.

To serve, remove the parfait from the freezer a few minutes before and slice it if you have used a plumcake mold, or invert the individual molds onto the serving plates.

Curiosity

Parfait is a dessert that differs from ice cream due to the lack of air incorporated during its preparation, which gives it a denser and creamier consistency. Italian hazelnuts, in particular the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) ones from Piedmont, are known worldwide for their high quality and are often featured in Italian dessert recipes, like the famous Piedmontese hazelnut cake or gianduiotto.