A velvety smooth no-churn frozen dessert recipe lightly flavoured with lavender. Chocolate lavender parfait melts beautifully on the tongue, rather than rolling off it. But the delicious and sophisticated flavours linger. It’s ice-cream, sort of, but more refined.
This month Dashing Dom has joined forces with Krazy Kavey in a chilling combination of Random Recipes and Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream. Now that Autumn has descended on us rather earlier than expected, ice-cream is no longer top of my list of desired desserts. However, ice-cream and frozen desserts are what we’ve been tasked to make, so lavender chocolate parfait it is. I have to say, I don’t regret it.
What is a Parfait?
Well actually there are two types of parfait. A French frozen dessert and then an American layered dessert that’s derived from the French one. They’re so called because parfait is the French word for perfect.
The first is a type of ice-cream made from eggs, hot sugar syrup and cream. It usually has some sort of flavouring and often a measure or two of liqueur. This is the classic French parfait. My chocolate lavender parfait is a prime example.
The other type is a layered dessert, usually served in a glass. Layers may consist of cream, ice-cream, yoghurt, fruit, nuts, chocolate, coffee or granola. I have two of these on Tin and Thyme. Roasted plum parfait with lemon curd is a great make ahead dessert. Whilst my raspberry granola parfait makes breakfast time a little more glamorous.
If the layered parfait includes ice-cream, however, it’s more likely to be termed an ice-cream sundae here in the UK. These recipes for chocolate sundae royale and chocolate peanut butter ice cream sundae are two examples of this.
Chocolate Lavender Parfait
Technically the difference between a parfait and ice-cream is a little vague. I reckon a parfait is just a type of ice-cream. Whatever it is or isn’t, it’s a very good way of making a no-churn frozen dessert.
Now it just so happens that I had a seventy gram bar of dark lavender chocolate lying about – as you do! I found it too strong and soapy to eat on its own, so was awaiting just such an occasion as this. Lavender chocolate works wonderfully well when incorporated into recipes. Thus it was that this perfect parfait recipe is made with just seventy grams of chocolate. Turns out, that’s just the right amount for four people.
It’s really quite easy to make and there’s no need for an ice-cream maker. You make a hot syrup with sugar and water, melt the chocolate into it then beat it with egg yolks to make a sort of chocolatey custard. Then mix it with whipped cream and cognac and freeze. Job done. No churning required.
The parfait is velvety smooth and not a shard of ice crystal to be detected. It’s very rich and truly decadent, but the soupçon of lavender keeps it tasting fresh and prevents it from cloying on the palate as some creamy confections can do. The cognac gives a welcome hint of sophistication and brings out the other flavours.
This is a perfect use for lavender chocolate and a brilliant make ahead dessert I can now knock up for future dinner parties.
No Lavender Chocolate?
If you don’t like the idea of lavender as a flavouring, or you can’t get hold of lavender chocolate, just use ordinary plain chocolate instead. Or try a different flavour, coffee and orange immediately spring to mind.
Recipes To Use Up Egg Whites
This recipe does leave rather a lot of egg whites leftover. However, I always see this as a good opportunity to make something else. That something else is usually friands as they’re quick to make and delicious to boot. But there are other options.
Here are all the recipes on Tin and Thyme that use only egg whites. And here are a couple of my favourites.
Other Lavender Recipes You Might Like
- Chocolate lavender cake with chocolate yoghurt icing
- Lavender chocolate goose egg cake
- Lavender honey cake with lemon & honey cream cheese icing
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this lavender chocolate parfait, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more frozen dessert recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Chocolate Lavender Parfait. PIN IT.
Chocolate Lavender Parfait – The Recipe
Chocolate Lavender Parfait
Ingredients
- 150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 75 ml water
- 60 g golden caster sugar
- 70 g dark lavender chocolate chopped (I used Seed & Bean 72%)
- 2 large eggs (yolks only)
- 2 tsp cognac
Instructions
- Whip the cream to soft peaks, either with an electric whisk or by hand, if you’re feeling strong.150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- Warm the water in a small pan and dissolve the sugar in it.75 ml water, 60 g golden caster sugar
- Notch up the heat and boil the syrup for two minutes, then turn the heat off.
- Add the chocolate and leave to melt.70 g dark lavender chocolate
- Meanwhile, separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a bowl and the whites into the fridge for some future use.2 large eggs
- Beat the egg yolks with a wooden spoon or hand held beaters, then slowly pour in the chocolate syrup beating all the while. Carry on beating until the mixture is almost cool.
- Beat in the cognac, then fold in the whipped cream.2 tsp cognac
- Divide the mixture between four ramekin dishes and place in the freezer. Leave for at least two hours.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m entering this chocolate parfait into random ice cream. This is a joint Random Recipes and Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream event hosted over at Belleau Kitchen and Kavey Eats.
A healthy dose of cognac makes this dessert crazy enough for me, so I am entering it into Baking with Spirit over at Cake of the Week where Janine has asked us to all go crazy.
I’m also sending this off to Lucy’s #CookBlogShare over at Supergolden Bakes.
Jacqui – Only Crumbs Remain says
These sound delicious and easy to make too just what I want from a recipe.
Choclette says
Hahaha, thanks Jacqui. You and me both.
lawstudentscookbook says
This looks wonderful. The combination of lavender and chocolate sounds divine.
Lucy Parissi says
Mmm I love parfait… not sure what the difference is except I think it is richer than your average ice cream. These look delicious – thanks for joining #CookBlogShare
Deena kakaya says
Chocolate and lavender! It’s morning and I am swooning already x
Aunt Bee says
This chocolate lavender parfait looks absolutely heavenly!
Cheri Savory Spoon says
What a lovely sounding dessert, chocolate, lavender and cognac. I bet my husband would any like this. Very impressive!
Sandra Shaffer says
Looks so creamy! What a delicious combination!
Gloria Baker says
I love parfait! and these look delicious!!!
xo
Michaela Kenkel says
Lavender Chocolate looks DIVINE!! Makes my mouth water!
Julie Bardoe says
I’ve never heard of a parfait before but it looks delicious! Good luck with the comp x
kellie@foodtoglow says
elegant, seasonal decadence
Stuart Vettese says
I love the idea of this flavour concoction Choclette.
Katie says
These look delicious! Love how dense and smooth it looks. The lavender sounds a lovely summery touch
Angie Schneider says
I thought a parfait is layered food served in a glass…never mind the name. I love the add of lavender in it and the texture is perfectly smooth and creamy.
Hayley @ Hay In A Day says
Wow I’ve never tried chocolate and lavender before. I bet these are super tasty! #CookBlogShare
Janice Pattie says
How fragrant that parfait must be with the lavender and chocolate. Lovely idea.
Fiona @ London-Unattached says
oh now that looks like a variation on the classic chocolate mousse, frozen and laced with lavender sugar! I might just have a go!
Janine says
I’m not entirely sure what the difference between a parfait or an ice cream is either, but whatever you’ve made it looks pretty good! Sounds delightfully decadent. Thanks for entering Baking With Spirit!
Johanna GGG says
I think I would call this an ice cream but I have looked up the trusty old wikipedia which tells me my idea of parfait is American and this one is french – so this is a good learning exercise for me – sounds like a great way to use the lavender chocolate
Caroline Taylor says
This is a brilliant recipe, these parfaits sound SO good! I haven’t taken part in random recipes for a while, you’ve reminded me!
Kate@whatkatebaked says
I know exactly what you mean about lavender chocolate tasting a bit soapy (or, to evoke a childhood memory, parma violets!). This sounds a really decadent and delicious recipe, a great entry into the challenge and you’ve inspired me to dig out my copy of Green & Blacks!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I really do like the idea of lavender and chocolate together so this is a great one to try in the future. Will stumble this too.
belleau kitchen says
good lord, chocolate, cognac, lavender… I don’t deserve this my dear. They are so lovely. I don’t think i’ve ever made a parfait before so I must add this to my list. I love the way you select your random recipes too!… thanks so much for being such a wonderful friend to random recipes xx
Karen S Booth says
I have still got to make my recipe yet……but, in the meantime, I will salivate over this beautiful frozen dessert recipe as it has LAVENDER in it, which I love! Karen
Choclette says
Indeed I would hope you do love lavender Karen!!! I’ve never made a parfait before – thank goodness for RR.
Alicia Foodycat says
Beautiful! As I understand it, a frozen parfait always has that sabayon, eggwhite and whipped cream base, so it is quite smooth when frozen.
Choclette says
Ahh, maybe this isn’t the classic then Alicia as it was the egg yolks used, not the egg whites. I did beat them for quite a long time though.
Harmony Marsh says
The chocolate you used didnt have just lavender oil did it, it had actual lavender flower petals! Thats interesting, i May have to do something with all the lavender I picked this year…. with chocolate 🙂
Choclette says
No the chocolate was oil and had no flowers in it Harmony. However, you could warm the cream and steep your lavender flowers in it for a while before whipping. I’ve done this before to good effect.
The Caked Crusader says
Ooh – that texture looks amazing!
Choclette says
It was super smooth and velvety CC.
Laura Denman says
Mmmm, this looks so smooth and lovely. I love how you’ve put it in little ramekins too.
Choclette says
Thanks Laura – it’s addictive stuff and I’m always pleased when I have an excuse to use these ramekins 🙂
Oh So Gawjess says
Now this is a pregnant ladys dream. Looks so tasty although I dont think Id be allowed the eggs =( I will come back in a few weeks when I have give birth!
xXx
Choclette says
Thank you. Good luck with the birth. In theory the eggs are pasteurised but the hot syrup in this recipe, but I think I’d be cautious too.