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Parfaits

tan319

By tan319
in Pastry & Baking

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tan319

tan319

Posted
Posted

I've been seeing 'Parfaits' on a lot of menus and reviews lately, and have been researching it a bit.

I was just going through some old Art Culinaires at my place and it seems that for the most part they involve water and sugar heated up to ,well. I'm assuming 250 or 60, since there's no temp given ( these are early 90s books),poured into yolks being whisked in a K.A.. beaten to cool (pate bombe) then soft peak whipped cream and/or some sort of meringue and flavoring being folded in.

Then the mix is poured into molds, etc.

Would this be the type of parfait that current people,ie: Laiskonis, Coston, Mason, etc. are incorporating into their dessert concepts?

Pouring onto a sheet pan, cutting into strips, the whole 9 yards?

Thanks in advance for any info, always appreciated!

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ComeUndone

ComeUndone

Posted
Posted

There's a parfait chapter on Gordon Ramsay's Just Desserts ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/157...1/egulletcom-20 ). The parfait recipes in his book are similar to what you described.

Candy Wong

"With a name like Candy, I think I'm destined to make dessert."

Want to know more? Read all about me in my blog.

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Michael Laiskonis

Michael Laiskonis

Posted
Posted

Perhaps I employ a bit of poetic license with the word 'parfait', if only because I long ago tired of the word 'mousse' on menus. I think the word can encompass a range of preparations, but I find it a good descriptor of any aerated, stable cream. Now if only I could find a better word for 'foam'...

Michael Laiskonis

Pastry Chef

New York

www.michael-laiskonis.com

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tan319

tan319

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Posted (edited)
"Foam" is not a good word. It suggests "inedible skimmed-off discard" to my mind. Or dishwater. Not something I would order off a menu, no matter how fashionable.

Well, you would be missing something decent.

What if nobody had ever tried 'salt water taffy'?

Because of what the phrase implies?

Sometimes I think the 'culinary police' are as bad as the Hannitys or Limbaughs.

Sorry, kind of stroppy today.

Combination of allergens and talk radio getting to me.

Thanks, Michael, for your thoughts.

You too, Tim.

So, I shouldn't be overanalyzing this too much?

When I see this on a menu it's often a word describing a mousse?

Just trying to increase the knowledge factor.

Edited by tan319 (log)

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Lesley C

Lesley C

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Posted

A parfait glacé is a pate a bombe with flavouring and whipped cream folded in, which is then frozen in shapes or in a terrine. When shaped in a terrine, it is usually served sliced.

A mousse glacé adds meringue (such as the nougat glacé) and is usually found inside a bombe glacé lined with ice cream.

A biscuit glacé is a creme anglaise-style pate a bombe with whipped cream -- and flavourings -- folded in, frozen in a mold or terrine.

And then there's the sabayon glacé (a wine-based parfait glaceé) and the souffle glace (a souffle glacé is a mousse glacée)

And yes, a semifreddo and parfait glace are one and the same.

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mjc

mjc

Posted
Posted

"You know what else everybody loves ? Parfait.

You ever met someone and you say, "hey. Wanna get some parfait ?"

And they like, "No, I don't like no parfait."

Everybody loves parfait.

You know, parfait might be the best thing on the whole damn planet."

--Donkey in Shrek

Yeah not quite on topic, but thats one of my favorite parts of the movie, so I couldn't resist.

Mike

The Dairy Show

Special Edition 3-In The Kitchen at Momofuku Milk Bar

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tan319

tan319

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Posted
"You know what else everybody loves ? Parfait.

You ever met someone and you say, "hey. Wanna get some parfait ?"

And they like, "No, I don't like no parfait."

Everybody loves parfait.

You know, parfait might be the best thing on the whole damn planet."

--Donkey in Shrek

Yeah not quite on topic, but thats one of my favorite parts of the movie, so I couldn't resist.

You know Mike, I have seen Shrek, many, MANY times, courtesy of my daughter, and I don't remember that bit.

However, when you went to wd-50, did you happen to taste Mssr. Mason's Guindja parfait?

Mousse, semifreddo?

Talk to me!!! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Thank you, as always

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mjc

mjc

Posted
Posted

It in the orgres are like onions part.

As for the Guindja parfait, I would have described it as a chocolate mousse.

Its an interesting question you ask, I would look in the latest friberg books if you have them, he's pretty good and defining things. I'd look, but I've lent mine to a friend.

In the bellouet cake book they translate pate bombe into parfait base. I suppose parfait base plus cream=parfait, which also equals semifredo, or even mousse.

When I hear the word parfait, I think of what I guess is the american meaning. I think of an ogre--I mean something with layers.

Mike

The Dairy Show

Special Edition 3-In The Kitchen at Momofuku Milk Bar

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tan319

tan319

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When I hear the word parfait, I think of what I guess is the american meaning. I think of an ogre--I mean something with layers.

"Why you, I ought'a"...

The Three Stooges

Thanks for the info, Mike!

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Steve Klc

Steve Klc

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French definitions and terminology shackles aside, here's what I think--a parfait is a layered, creamy dessert in a glass. That's it--and that's all it should be--it's morphed into a very flexible "definition" and encompasses all sorts of layered creams and sauces--foam, mousse, creams set with gelatin, creme anglaise and custards, frozen elements like ice cream or sorbet, fruit, crunch, etc. Philippe Conticini told me once that one of his regrets, after introducing his line of "teaser" parfaits in glasses in the NY Petrossian shop was that he didn't just label his desserts as "sundaes"--that Americans might have embraced them more easily if, mentally, they could put them in that familiar context.

Parfaits, sundaes, desserts composed in a cup, coupe or glass. It comes down to whether you want to "label" your desserts--or your components--and what you want your customers to perceive when they read a menu. I favor thinking globally here and actually moving away from all these terms which may have once worked in the context of a different age, which may have once had some universal (read rigidly codified) meaning, but which no longer do.

Steve Klc

Pastry chef-Restaurant Consultant

Oyamel : Zaytinya : Cafe Atlantico : Jaleo

chef@pastryarts.com

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Wendy DeBord

Wendy DeBord

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My audience would definately expect a layered dessert in a container of sorts. I think there would be an element of supprise (not good) when they discovered their parfait was frozen.........so I'd label it as frozen too.

But now that we've gotten people to know what a semi-freddo is- isn't it doing harm to rename it and confuse the public? I'm all for progression but don't we need to be consistant too?

I like the idea of calling similar a sundae, thats interesting! It would have huge sales at my clubs............you got me thinking.............see the smoke...........it could stop my only competition on dessert sales (purchased ice cream). Oh baby.......

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ducphat30

ducphat30

Posted
Posted
Almond Foam...Nitrogenated Almond.

Though i don't know that sounds all that tasty.

My parents just got back from the Fat Duck in England, still can't believe my parents went, and they had nitrogenated green tea and lime mousse as an opening amuse. It was a spoon full of mousse that went into liquid nitrogen, tableside, was removed to a spoon and given to them to eat right away with a little bit of vodka. They said it was amazing, like a gimlet, only ice cold, crunchy and creamy all at the same time. And that was the first amuse!!!

Patrick Sheerin

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tan319

tan319

Posted
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i think they're referring to bo as in "professional pastry chef" book guy.

Perhaps Lesley is referring to Friberg as 'non french pastry chump'? :laugh:

Kidding...?

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cbarre02

cbarre02

Posted
Posted (edited)

Desserts are changing forms to quickly to have strict definitions. I think that ballpark definitions are as close as we are going to get with modern desserts. Either that or we have to start coming up with our own words. Can you imaginge that!

It would be like the first time my brother heard of a parfait, he said no I'll just have a sunday.

Edited by cbarre02 (log)

Cory Barrett

Pastry Chef

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tan319

tan319

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Perhaps Lesley is referring to Friberg as 'non french pastry chump'? 

Kidding...?

Right-o! :smile:

Harsh!!!

Hmmmm, I see no flaming going on...

Oh well,

I suddenly remembered a recipe out of my Spanish pastry book,'S-21', that involves various parfaits ( the desserts are in a glass) that involves sugar and water, cooked to 125c, over whipping yolks and incorporating soft peaked whipped cream.

Btw, there would seem to be a lot of american students, enthusiasts, who would swear by Friberg for something, especially any CCS grads or students, since he teaches there(?).

I don't own his book, I probably should, just for the sake of it, but still...

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mjc

mjc

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I don't tend to like friberg's books all that much for recipes per se, but I think that they are excellent references for general recipe contents and history

Mike

The Dairy Show

Special Edition 3-In The Kitchen at Momofuku Milk Bar

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tan319

tan319

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I don't tend to like friberg's books all that much for recipes per se, but I think that they are excellent references for general recipe contents and history

I feel the same way.

He does deserve some respect though?

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