Soda
Fountain Chocolate Parfait
Tips:
This ultra-rich parfait tastes even better than it looks, which
is really saying something. It's made with chocolate sorbet,
and good chocolate sorbets are made by Sharon's (and other companies,
too, no doubt). You'll need two parfait glasses, each of eleven-ounce
capacity. Mine are the classic, short-stemmed, "tulip" shape,
narrow at the bottom and wide on top, and I got them at Crate
& Barrel. You'll need a hand-held electric mixer and a microwave
(to soften the sorbet quickly - it can be softened by leaving
it in the refrigerator for a while, but I haven't tried this
so I can't give you a time estimate).
Yield:
2 servings
- Good-quality
chocolate syrup
- 1
cup heavy cream
- 3
Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
- 1
cup (half of one pint) good-quality chocolate sorbet
Optional
Garnish
- Mint
leaf
- Grated
semisweet chocolate
- Chocolate
sprinkles
Chill
a medium bowl and beater(s) for at least 20 minutes. (I use
a hand-held electric mixer for this)
Place
a small amount of chocolate syrup (about one to two tablespoons
- it's not necessary to measure it) into the bottom of each
parfait glass. In chilled bowl with chilled beater(s), beat
cream at high speed just until traces of beater marks show in
it. Add sugar; beat in on low speed. Increase speed to high
and beat to just under stiff peak stage.
Now,
soften the sorbet. Remove container lid and plastic liner (if
any). Microwave at medium (50%) power for 10 to 20 seconds if
you're beginning with a full pint (your timing may vary; you
want the sorbet softened but not melted). Working quickly, place
about 1 cup of the softened sorbet into a clean medium bowl
(I never measure the sorbet; I just cut vertically down through
the pint with a large spoon and use about half). Combine softened
sorbet with about one-quarter of the whipped cream. By hand,
beat rapidly to mix well, breaking up any sorbet chunks as you
go along (a few small chunks are OK, but the mixture should
be mostly smooth). Divide evenly among parfait glasses.
Still
working quickly, put another tablespoon or two of chocolate
syrup on top of the sorbet mixture in each glass. Re-beat the
cream at high speed just to stiff peaks, then top each parfait
with an equal amount of the whipped cream.
Garnish,
if desired. Serve immediately, preferably with long-handled
spoons.
©
Stephanie Zonis provides the above information to anyone, but
retains copyright on all text. This means that you may not:
distribute the text to others without the express written permission
of Stephanie Zonis; "mirror" or include this information
on your own server or documents without my permission; modify
or re-use the text on this system. You MAY: print copies of
the information for your own personal use; store the files on
your own computer for your personal use only; reference hypertext
documents on this server from your own documents.
