Festive Frozen Chocolate Parfait Recipes

FESTIVE FROZEN CHOCOLATE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Put all the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the brandy. Leave to soak while you line a 900g loaf tin with cling film.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then set aside to cool a little. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and honey in a separate bowl until light, then fold into the melted chocolate. Place the mixture back over the pan of hot water and whisk for a couple of minutes until thickened.
• Melt the butter with the cocoa in a pan, leave to cool to room temperature, then whisk into the chocolate mixture. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold that into the chocolate too. Finally, fold in the fruit and the ginger nuts. Scrape everything into the prepared loaf tin, then freeze overnight, or for up to one month. To serve, turn out of the tin and cut into slices using a hot knife. The parfait is delicious on its own but also works well with a spoonful of crème fraîche.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL FROZEN PARFAITS

Steps:

• Bring milk and 1/2 cup cream just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
• Bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in another small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved and washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil syrup, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until mixture is a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and carefully add warm cream mixture (mixture will steam vigorously and caramel will harden). Cook over low heat, whisking, until caramel is dissolved.
• Whisk together yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl, then add hot caramel mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer (do not let boil).
• Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl of standing mixer, then beat at high speed 10 minutes (mixture will be completely cool, thick, and pale). Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Whisk remaining cup cream in another bowl until it just holds stiff peaks, then whisk about one fourth of cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and divide mixture among paper cups, smoothing tops. Cover each cup with foil and freeze parfaits at least 12 hours.
• To serve, carefully tear off each paper cup and invert parfaits onto plates.