Il Cucinologo
EN

Hazelnut Parfait

17/11/2023

I can provide you with a recipe to prepare a delicious Hazelnut Parfait, a cold and flavorful dessert typical of French tradition, but with an all-Italian touch given by the hazelnuts that are highly appreciated and used in Italian cuisine, particularly those from Piedmont.

Ingredients

  • 150 g sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 ml water
  • 300 ml fresh cream
  • 150 g toasted and chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by toasting the hazelnuts in the oven or in a pan until they become golden and fragrant. Then, chop them finely.

  2. Prepare a syrup by bringing the water with the sugar to a boil, until a temperature of 121 °C is reached. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, cook until the sugar starts to form a thread.

  3. Meanwhile, in a heat-resistant bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a whisk until they become light and frothy.

  4. Add the hot sugar syrup to the egg yolks, continuing to stir to prevent them from curdling.

  5. Once all the syrup has been incorporated, continue whisking until the mixture has cooled and becomes thick and creamy.

  6. Whip the fresh cream in a separate bowl until it is stiffly whipped and set aside.

  7. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, then add the chopped hazelnuts to the mix.

  8. If desired, you can enrich your parfait with a tablespoon of hazelnut liqueur to intensify the flavor.

  9. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or into individual molds.

  10. Freeze the parfait for at least 4-6 hours, until it has solidified.

To serve, remove the parfait from the freezer a few minutes in advance and slice it, if you used a loaf pan, or invert the individual molds onto serving plates.

Curiosities

The Parfait is a dessert that differs from ice cream due to the lack of air incorporated during its preparation, which gives it a denser and creamier texture. Italian hazelnuts, particularly the IGP ones from Piedmont, are known worldwide for their high quality and are often the stars of Italian dessert recipes, such as the famous Piedmont hazelnut cake or gianduiotto.