Cookie N Almond Parfaits Recipes

CHOCOLATE, ALMOND, AND BANANA PARFAITS

Steps:

• Heat chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons cream in microwave in 1-cup glass measuring cup at 50 percent power just until chocolate is melted, about 30 to 35 seconds. Stir to blend; cool chocolate sauce to lukewarm. Whisk mascarpone, amaretto, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons cream in medium bowl until blended and mixture just starts to thicken.
• Using 2 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out round from each angel food cake slice. Place 1 cake round in each of 4 wine goblets or old-fashioned glasses. Top each cake round with 3 banana slices, 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone mixture, bittersweet chocolate sauce, and sprinkling of almonds. Repeat parfait layering 1 more time and serve.

ALMOND NOUGAT PARFAIT WITH ORANGE COULIS

Steps:

• For caramelized almonds: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and warm in oven for 10 minutes.
• In a large sauté pan, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over high heat. When sugar has dissolved, add warm almonds and, stirring constantly, cook until sugar crystallizes. Continue to cook until sugar melts again and coats almonds. Remove from heat and turn almonds onto a clean work surface, separating almonds to avoid sticking. Allow to cool, then crush or roughly chop, setting aside 1/4 cup for garnish.
• For nougat parfait: Whisk heavy cream until stiff, and refrigerate until needed. Place egg whites in bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place honey in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk egg whites until they start to thicken, then slowly drizzle in the hot honey, gradually increasing speed of mixer until it is at full speed. Continue to whisk egg whites until they are very thick and completely cool (bowl will feel cool), about 4 minutes.
• Fold in crushed almonds (except those reserved for garnish) and diced orange candy. Gently fold in whipped cream until blended. Place mixture in a gallon sealable plastic bag with one corner cut off, and pipe it onto a baking sheet in large mounds like meringues. Alternatively, it may be placed in a pastry bag with a large plain tip and piped into 12 1 1/2-inch stainless steel cylinder molds. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours, before serving.
• For orange coulis: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Over medium heat, cook until it becomes an amber caramel. Meanwhile, in a second small pan over low heat, gently heat orange juice. When sugar has reached correct color, remove from heat and slowly add orange juice. Return to heat and cook to dissolve any hardened bits of sugar. Continue to reduce until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
• To serve, if using molds, warm each mold with your hands to release it and place two unmolded parfaits on each plate. If using meringue-shaped parfaits, place two or three (depending on size and quantity) on each plate. Drizzle orange coulis around each plate, and sprinkle with reserved caramelized almonds.

ALMOND CREAM PARFAITS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. , In a small bowl, beat egg yolks; gradually add 1 cup hot milk mixture. Return all to pan. Bring to a boil; cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add butter and extract; mix well. Chill for 1 hour or until cool., Add almonds. Pour into six to eight parfait glasses; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. In a bowl, beat cream and remaining sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon over parfaits. Chill. Just before serving, garnish with cherries.

ALMOND CROQUANT PARFAIT

Steps:

• Parfait:
• Have ready a lightly oiled baking sheet. In a small, very clean, heavy saucepan, combine the water and the sugar and stir together over low heat until the granules of sugar have dissolved and the liquid appears clear. Increase the heat to high and simmer the mixture until syrupy and golden brown. Be careful not to overcook and burn the caramel. If crystals form on the sides of the pan, remove them by swirling the liquid in the pan, never stir the caramel with a utensil. Add the toasted almonds, swirl to mix and remove from the heat. Immediately pour the almond croquant onto the oiled baking sheet and allow to cool until quite brittle. Remove to a cutting board and, with a sharp heavy knife, chop coarsely.
• Line the base of an 8 by 12-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, combine the confectioners' sugar and the egg yolks, and whisk constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture will hold a ribbon when the beater is lifted away. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. In another bowl, whip the cream with the vanilla to soft peaks. With a large rubber spatula, gently fold the yolk mixture into the whipped cream, then fold in the crushed almond croquant. Pour the parfait into the prepared baking pan and freeze until solid.
• Creme Anglais:
• In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the whipping cream with the vanilla bean and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and allow to steep for 10 minutes. In a large stainless steel bowl, beat the egg yolks and the sugar together until pale and thickened. Very slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolk mixture. Set the bowl of custard mixture over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
• Preheat a broiler to high heat. With a sharp knife, cut the frozen parfait into 4 by 4-inch squares. Place a parfait square in the center of each of 6 ovenproof dessert plates. Cover the parfait with sliced strawberries, top with an even layer of the other berries, and spoon some of the creme Anglaise over the top. Two at a time, place the dessert plates under the hot broiler until the creme is golden brown and bubbling. Turn the plates once or twice as necessary so that they brown evenly. Garnish the plates with mint sprigs and serve immediately.

COOKIES-AND-CREAM PARFAITS

Steps:

• Make 2 layers of vanilla pudding, crushed chocolate wafer cookies and whipped cream in tall glasses. Top each with a cookie.

AMARETTI AND ALMOND PARFAIT

Steps:

• For amaretti, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, cornstarch, cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon zest over ground almonds and toss to blend.
• In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Whip until whites hold a stiff peak.
• Stir in almond mixture and add almond extract.
• Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, wetting your hands with cool water to prevent sticking. Sift icing sugar over cookies and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.
• For almond cream, stir mascarpone, sour cream and brown sugar together to dissolve sugar.
• Stir in extracts.
• Whip cream until a soft peak forms and fold into mascarpone/sour cream mixture.
• Chill until ready to assemble.
• For cherries, toss cherries with Kirsch and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
• To assemble, place one amaretti cookie on a plate.
• Add a dollop of almond cream.
• Top with another amaretti cookie.
• Top with another dollop of almond cream, a sprinkle of toasted almonds and then a spoonful of cherries.

DREAMY COOKIE PARFAITS

Steps:

• Crumble 1 of the cookies into each of 4 beverage glasses or parfait dishes.
• Top each with layers of 1/4 cup fruit and 1 Tbsp. whipped topping; repeat layers.
• Crush 1 of the remaining cookies over each dessert. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

TOASTED ALMOND PARFAIT

Steps:

• Using handheld electric mixer, beat sugar, egg yolks, corn syrup, and amaretto in large metal bowl to blend. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Beat until candy thermometer registers 160°F and parfait base is thick and billowy, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Continue to beat parfait base until cool, about 7 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup almonds.
• Beat cream and vanilla in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold cream into cool parfait base in 3 additions. Transfer parfait to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Scoop parfait into goblets. Sprinkle with chocolate and 3 tablespoons almonds.