Triple Chocolate Parfait

Serves: 6-8

Preparation: 40 minutes + overnight freezing

Ingredients

  • 100g Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces
  • 100g Milk Chocolate (32% cocoa), broken into pieces
  • 100g White Chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 200g Caster Sugar
  • 6 Egg Yolks
  • 450ml Double Cream
  • Dark & White Chocolate Curls, to decorate

Method

Melt the chocolates in three separate bowls (see Tip below).

Put the sugar and 200ml of water in a saucepan and heat gently, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.

Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a large bowl.

One-third fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a gentle simmer, but do not put the bowl on the pan just yet.

Increase the heat and boil the sugar syrup until it reaches 115oC (239oF) on a sugar thermometer or until a little of the syrup will make a soft ball when dropped into a glass of cold water.

If the syrup forms brittle strands that snap when lifted out of the water, the syrup is too hot and it will need to be remade; if it is too soft to make a ball then it is not quite hot enough.

If testing in cold water, take the pan off the heat while waiting for the syrup to cool in the water, but as a rough guide the syrup will begin to fall slowly off a spoon when it is almost ready.

As soon as the soft ball stage is reached, quickly take the pan off the heat, remove the thermometer, place the egg yolks over the simmering water then gradually whisk the hot sugar syrup into the yolks in a thin steady stream.

Continue to whisk until the yolks are very thick and the mixture leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted above it.

Take the bowl off the heat and whisk for a few more minutes until the mixture is beginning to cool.

Whisk the cream until it forms soft swirls then fold into the egg mixture.

Divide the mixture into three equal-sized amounts then fold each into a different bowl of chocolate.

Line a 900g loaf tin with a large piece of cling film then pour in the white chocolate mixture.

Freeze for 15 minutes until partially set, leaving the other mixtures at room temperature.

Spoon the milk chocolate mixture over the white and spread gently into an even layer.

Freeze for 15 minutes, leaving the dark chocolate mixture still at room temperature.

Spoon over the final layer then freeze the parfait overnight until firm.

About 10 minutes before serving, loosen the parfait by lifting the cling film a little then cover the tin with a plate, turn the plate and tin over, lift off the tin and peel away the cling film.

Decorate the top with dark and white chocolate curls and cut into thick slices with a hot knife.

Tip

Rather than melting the chocolates above a saucepan of gently simmering water, you may prefer to melt them in the microwave. Use small microwaveproof bowls and set the microwave to full power.

Melt the dark chocolate for 1 minute then leave to stand. White chocolate has a tendency to burn in the microwave, so heat for 30 seconds first on medium power, check then continue in 10 second bursts until it is softened then stir.

Melt the dark and milk chocolate for an extra 10 seconds each if needed, then stir.

This recipe is from Chocolate Success published by Simon & Schuster in 2011.