For those of us who love frozen desserts, there is nothing more satisfying than flavorful ice-creams paired with layers of vibrant tasting seasonal fruit and decadently syrupy Greek spoon sweets!
Making homemade frozen ice-cream desserts is a lot easier than most people think . . . . even if you don’t have an electric ice-cream maker to do the work. Needless to say, ice-cream makers yield wonderfully creamy textures with their constant churning but you can get pretty good results without one too, as long as you stick to making:
Scrumptious French parfaits which are even richer than ice-cream and need no churning to be smooth when frozen or
Italian semifreddo’s “half cold ” frozen desserts which are similar to ice-cream but with a high cream or sugar content that prevent hard freezing, thus creating an illusion that it is actually less cold than ice-cream and thus creamier!
The classic French parfait is a simple custard dessert in a frozen form which is pretty easy to make. Egg yolks, sugar and whipped cream are usually mixed with a flavor in the form of a fruit puree and then the mixture is frozen. Adding liqueur to the mixture, which slows down the freezing process, will enhance the taste and give you a creamier consistency but be pre-warned, don’t overdo it! Too much of a good thing can result in a dessert that won’t freeze!!!
Today’s frozen orange parfait recipe is one of my all-time favorite frozen delights which I have taught in many countries around the world. It’s truly addictive and can be made all year round. In winter I normally serve it with fresh orange slices and candied orange peel whereas in the summer I like to serve it with fresh apricots or peaches topped with tangy citrusy spoon sweets oozing with taste!
I hope you will agree . . . . . “C’est Parfait” !
Ultra Rich Frozen Orange Parfait Recipe
Ingredients
250 g sugar
5 egg yolks from large eggs
3 tblsp Old English orange marmalade, with rind
5 tblsp orange liquor
Juice from 1 large lemon
3 cups whipping cream
Garnish: Bergamot or other citrus spoon sweet, candied orange peel and grated semi sweet chocolate
Preparation Method
In electric mixer beat egg yolks and sugar well. Gradually beat in the marmalade, orange liquor and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, or in mixer, whip the cream, add to orange/egg yolk mixture and blend carefully.
Pour the mixture into a mold or aluminum tin which has been rinsed with cold water. Cover mold with lid or plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, turn the orange parfait out on a serving plate and top with sliced bergamot or other citrus spoon sweets and sprinkle with diced candied orange peel and semi-sweet grated chocolate.
Yield: 6 – 8 servings
Tips!
This parfait is also delicious with fresh fruit. My favorite choices are sliced oranges, apricots and peaches which can be sliced and served in decorative glasses or dessert bowls, arranged in alternate layers with the orange parfait and garnished with citrus spoon sweets, candied orange peel and grated semi-sweet chocolate.
When whipping the cream, make sure the cream is very cold. In summer I often place the bowl from my mixer into the freezer for about 5 minutes to ensure it is cold as in the summer heat cream can be a little harder to whip.
Here in Greece, delicious spoon sweets are available in most specialty stores, so indulge!
Normally, when I make a parfait I use the left over egg whites to make a Pavlova, especially when I am entertaining! (Here is a link to my Pavlova recipe).
© KaritasM - September 2018