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Summer Berry Parfaits with Rose Water Cream

The classic, elegant summer dessert of berries and cream is elevated in these parfaits by a smooth homemade custard and a lightly floral whipped cream flavored with rose water. Make the custard carefully—if it gets too hot you’ll end up with sweet scrambled eggs. These parfaits can be assembled hours ahead and refrigerated, covered, until serving time, making them ideal for relaxed summer meals.

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Summer Berry and Rose Water Parfaits

Fruity, floral, and indulgent, these make-ahead layers of lusciousness are a perfect finish to a casual summer meal. Be careful not to overheat the custard; assemble and cover the parfaits with plastic wrap and refrigerate if preparing ahead of time.
Servings 6 people
Author Niki Ford

Ingredients

  • 2 1⁄4 cups milk
  • 1⁄2 vanilla bean
  • 6egg yolks
  • 1⁄4 cup sugar
  • 2teaspoonscornstarch
  • 1pintfresh strawberrieshulled and sliced into halves or quarters
  • 3tablespoonsstrawberry or raspberry jam
  • 2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
  • 1tablespoonhoney
  • 2cupsfresh raspberries(about 1 pint), plus 18 raspberries for garnish
  • 2-1⁄2 cups Raspberry Rose Whipped Cream(recipe follows)

Instructions

  1. Pour the milk into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split the half vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the milk. Over medium heat, bring the milk just to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  2. Prepare an ice bath by nesting a metal bowl in a slightly larger bowl filled with ice water that reaches halfway up the side of the smaller bowl. Set aside.
  3. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk in 1⁄4 cup of the hot milk to temper the yolks, then quickly whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan of hot milk. Return the pan to low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, making figure-eights to prevent the custard from sticking or curdling.
  4. Cook until a clean line remains when you dip the spoon in the custard and run your finger through it, or until an instant-read thermometer registers about 175°F (6 to 10 minutes).
  5. Quickly strain the custard into the metal bowl set over the ice bath, discard any solids, and stir until cool. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until chilled.
  6. In a small bowl, toss together the strawberries, jam, lemon juice, and honey. Let the mixture macerate for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently fold in the 2 cups of raspberries and let sit for 5 minutes. Place a layer of the berry mixture in the bottom of six glasses.
  7. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons of custard into each glass, then add 2 heaping tablespoons of Raspberry Rose Whipped Cream. Repeat the custard and cream layers once more. Top each parfait with three raspberries and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

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Raspberry Rose Whipped Cream

Barely sweet and pretty in pink, this whipped cream adds a luxurious, floral note and creamy texture to fresh summer berries and the parfaits above.

Ingredients

  • 1cupfresh raspberries
  • 3⁄4 cup sugar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon gluten-free pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon rose water
  • 1cupheavy cream
  • 1⁄4 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse the raspberries and sugar until smooth. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove seeds. Stir in the vanilla and rose water.
  2. In a large bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, fold in the Greek yogurt, and whip again to soft peaks. Gently fold in the raspberry puree and whip briefly to combine to soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Photo Maren Caruso