Can you believe it’s August already? Where has the summer gone? The first day of school is fast approaching, but I am not prepared to say goodbye to summer just yet. In a previous blog I mentioned that I was using my last pint of freshly picked strawberries for a cool Very Berry Cheesecake. They worked perfectly in that recipe, but I had a few extra berries to spare so I decided to make Berry Parfaits for my daughter and her friend. (Fortunately, I have a child who would much rather devour a Berry Parfait than the ones Dairy Queen offers topped with chocolate and peanuts.) The recipe is so simple your kids could easily assemble it by themselves.
The other recipe I have included is for a Peach Parfait. Peaches were on sale at our local market so I picked up a few pounds. However, you could easily substitute with frozen peaches if you can’t find decent fruit at your market. This recipe is a simple yet delicious way to make the most of summer’s harvest… before the first leaves begin to fall.
BERRY PARFAITS
Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries
1 cup blackberries or blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 8 oz. container mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoon powdered sugar
Fresh mint
A few whole berries
Directions:
Place all the berries (cut the strawberries into pieces if they are too large) in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Stir to combine and leave to macerate for about 30 minutes.
Using a mixer beat the mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract just until soft peaks form.
Take four parfait glasses and layer the berries with the cream.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a few fresh berries.
PEACHY PARFAIT
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh peaches or (16-ounce) bag frozen peach slices, thawed
1 pint raspberries
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 oz. whipped cream
1/2 cup almond biscotti, crushed
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Directions:
In a bowl, combine peaches and mint leaves. Set aside for a few minutes.
In another bowl, use a mixer to mix mascarpone cheese and sugar until creamy. Whisk in whipped cream.
Divide half of the mascarpone cream among 6 parfait glasses. Top with peach mixture and fresh raspberries (reserve a few). Next, sprinkle with crushed biscotti and top with remaining mascarpone cream.
Sprinkle almonds and garnish with fresh mint and a few raspberries on top and serve.
Related Articles:
Kids in the Kitchen: Sweet and Simple Strawberry Treats
Pairing Chicken with Summer’s Harvest–Peaches and Cherries