Toasted Almond Parfait Food

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.

STRAWBERRY AND ALMOND CREAM PARFAIT

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and egg yolks until thick and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a medium pot, bring the milk and vanilla bean to a gentle boil. Pour about half of the milk mixture over the eggs whisking constantly. Pour the whole mix back into the pot and place the pot back over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Note: you must stir this mixture constantly, scraping the bottom as you stir, so the flour doesn't stick to the bottom and burn.
• Remove the pot from the stove and whisk in the marzipan. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and cover it with a coating of plastic wrap. Place the tray in the refrigerator to cool.
• In a medium skillet over low heat, melt the granulated sugar. Spray a tray with a light coating of nonstick spray. Spray the end of a wooden spoon as well. When the sugar turns light brown, add the almonds and stir to coat them with the sugar. Spoon the almonds on to the baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• When the almond cream has cooled, remove and discard the vanilla bean and place the pastry cream in a medium bowl. Whisk until it is smooth. In another medium bowl, toss the strawberries and brown sugar together.
• Place 4 to 6 glasses on a flat surface. Begin by spooning a thin layer of almond cream in the bottom of each. Sprinkle with a few almonds. Add a layer of the whipped cream. Top with a layer of strawberries. Repeat the layers until the glasses are full. Refrigerate for a while before serving or enjoy immediately.

TOASTED ALMOND COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour the liqueurs and cream into a cocktail shaker with ice.
• Shake very well for at least 15 seconds to ensure everything's mixed and the cream becomes frothy.
• Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.
• Serve and enjoy.

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.

TIRAMISU PARFAITS WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup coffee liqueur, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup dark corn syrup, 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar in small bowl. Blend well.
• Combine 5 tablespoons espresso syrup, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 8 ounces cream cheese in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar in another large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Place 1 pound-cake slice in bottom of each of 6 parfait glasses or wine goblets, tearing and pressing pound cake to fit. Drizzle 1 tablespoon espresso syrup over each. Spread 1/3 cup cream cheese filling over each. Repeat layering with remaining pound cake, espresso syrup and cream cheese filling. Sift unsweetened cocoa powder generously over parfaits. Cover parfaits and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Top parfaits with toasted sliced almonds and serve.

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.