White Chocolate and Cherry Parfait (French Parfait au Chocolat Blanc et Cerises)

Parfait from French meaning "perfect" is two types of frozen dessert; in France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create a custard-like purée which is not necessarily served in a parfait glass.

4¼ oz egg yolks (120 g)
7 oz caster sugar (200 g)
2 cups double cream (500 mL)
3½ oz white chocolate (100 g)
5¼ oz cherries in Kirsch (150 g)
dust food colour
1 tsp. cocoa nibs for decoration

Garnish:
7 oz white chocolate (200 g)

Put the egg yolks in an electric mixer and mix them at a slow speed.

Place the sugar in a small saucepan with a little water and bring to the boil for 5 minutes.

Pour the hot sugar into the yolks and turn up the speed in the mixer a little.

When the yolks are cold and frothy, remove from mixer.

Melt the chocolate and fold into the yolks in a mixing bowl.

Semi-whip the cream and fold this into chocolate mix.

Remove the cherries from the kirsch and chop into quarters. Add them to the mix with 2 tbsp of the liquor.

Pour the mix into small pots, and freeze overnight.

To decorate the plate use a dust food colour (chiffon pink preferably) mixed with a little water and paint it onto the plate using a small pastry or clean artist’s brush, or with fingertips.

Line the cherries in a row and sprinkle the chocolate nibs around the base of the parfait to help keep it in place.

As an optional garnish: melt white chocolate in a bowl, spread on a thin strip of chocolate transfer sheet, cut to desired size (no longer than 4") and let it set in the fridge for five minutes. Once dry, strip off the transfer sheet and colour it with the pink dust food colour (or red food colouring). Rest on top of the parfait.

Makes 6-8 servings.