Two Effortless Holiday Treats

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are celebrating today, I hope your holiday will be jam packed with family, friends, food and fireworks. I suspect that only cursory attention will be paid to posts today, so I decided to feature some simple recipes for folks who might be looking for last minute ideas for their holiday barbecues. One is a non-alcoholic drink that fizzes when sorbet is added to it.  This sipper is raspberry flavored and quite refreshing. It becomes even more enjoyable as the sorbet melts into the drink. The second  recipe is  for a quick-fix parfait whose colors are flagrantly and unashamedly patriotic.This is a really easy dessert that is assembled rather than baked, and, if you have the ingredients at hand, you can have it on the table in five minutes. Really! Have a delicious day.




Raspberry Fizz...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Real Simple

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups cranberry juice
3 cups seltzer
1 cup ginger ale
1 pint raspberry sorbet

Directions:
1) Combine sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Let the lime syrup cool to room temperature.
2) Combine 1/2 cup of lime syrup with cranberry juice, seltzer, and ginger ale in a large pitcher. To serve, pour into glasses and top with scoops of raspberry sorbet. Yield: 6 servings.




Red White and Blue Parfaits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 (8 ounce) container frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
3 cups fresh raspberries and/or cut-up fresh strawberries
3 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:
1) Combine yogurt and extract of choice in a large bowl and whisk to blend well. Fold in whipped topping.
2) To serve: Alternate layers of berries with layers of yogurt mixture in six (12-ounce) glasses. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Muffins

Two Years Ago Today: Sangria

Three Years Ago Today: Orange Yogurt Cake

Frothy Whipped Berry "Parfaits"

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Sirens occasionally try to lure me to their islands. Fortunately, I know my own weaknesses and usually stand my ground. My restraint, however, failed me when I saw the first photo in today's post. I found the recipe for that beautiful dessert on the Betty Crocker website. I wasn't much interested in some its elements, but I loved the possibilities of what could be done with the yogurt, gelatin and fresh berries that formed the base of the dessert. So, I took just the three ingredients and came up with the recipe that appears below. This is a featherlight, almost frothy, dessert that is packed with the flavor of the berries that are used to extend it. If you have a sweet tooth, this dessert will disappoint you, but if your dessert tastes run more to the tartly sweet, I really think you will enjoy this nearly effortless treat. I use full fat Greek yogurt and lots of fresh berries when I make this. If the berries are not fully ripe, I add a tablespoon or two of baker's superfine sugar and a teaspoon of pure berry extract to bring them up to snuff. The berry extracts can be found here. This dessert is best served on the day it is made. I hope you'll give these frothy parfaits a try. They can be made with any type of berry and I really think you'll enjoy them. Here's the recipe.

Frothy Whipped Berry "Parfaits"...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1 box (4-serving size) strawberry-flavored gelatin
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups diced fresh strawberries
Optional: 1 teaspoon pure berry extract
Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Directions:
1) In medium bowl, pour boiling water on gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in yogurt until melted and smooth. If using, stir in berry extract and superfine sugar. Cover; refrigerate until thickened but not set, about 60 to 90 minutes.
2) Beat gelatin mixture with electric mixer on high speed 7 to 8 minutes or until doubled in volume. Fold in diced strawberries. Spoon into 8 (1-cup) parfait glasses or clear coffee mugs. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Yield: 8 servings.

Irish Cream Pudding Parfait

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... When Irish eyes are smiling...Our youngest grandson has a smile that lights a room and, at the ripe old age of two, has passed Blarney 101 with a proficiency that suggests he has an Irish soul. This year his treat on St. Patrick's Day will be lime Jello, but I thought it would be fun to post recipes for dishes I know he and our other grandsons will enjoy as they get older. So, I hope you're ready for a week of Irish treats, some of which are authentic and actually come from the old sod. The remainder are simply delicious and will be included because they reference Irish history or use an unmistakably Irish ingredient. I wanted to start with the most outrageous of the bunch. This parfait is expensive and fairly difficult to make. It also uses a lot of heavy cream that many of you will object to. All that being said, I think your time and money will be well-spent and those of you who try this in small portions will be really pleased. This is a keeper that is worth the occasional calorie splurge. The recipe I use came from News Canada and it is a simplified version of a dessert that was developed for Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur. Irish cream can easily be made at home and I've included a link below for those of you who would like to make your own. It is possible to replace some of the heavy cream used to make this parfait with light cream or half-and-half, but I don't recommend it. This was meant to be an extravagant once a year indulgence. There are other healthier treats coming later in the week for those of you find this dessert too rich. Here's how this pudding parfait is made.

Irish Cream Pudding Parfait...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of newscanada.com .

Ingredients:
Pudding
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur, divided
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
6 egg yolks
Pecan Crunch
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
4 large oatmeal cookies, crumbled
1-1/3 cups toffee bits
Topping
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch cinnamon

Directions:
1) To make pudding: Combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup of liqueur, brown sugar and egg yolks in top of a double boiler. Place over a saucepan of simmering (not boiling) water; do not let bottom of bowl touch the water. Using an electric hand mixer, beat until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a wooden spoon, or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to beat until cool; about 6 minutes. Mix in remaining liqueur. In a separate bowl, beat remaining whipping cream to form medium peaks. Fold into pudding mixture. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. Mixture will thicken as it chills.
2) To make pecan crunch: Combine pecans, oatmeal cookies and toffee bits in a bowl. Set aside.
3) To make topping: In a separate bowl, beat together whipping cream, vanilla and cinnamon to form medium peaks. Set aside.
4) To serve: Layer each of six dessert glasses with 1/4 cup of pudding and top each with 2 tablespoons of pecan crumble. Repeat layering once more. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and another 1 tablespoon of pecan crumble. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour before serving. Yield: 6 servings.









Irish Moonshine - Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur

















One Year Ago Today: Chicken Picadillo with Chili Lime Sauce














Two Years Ago Today: Thai Tuna Salad

Lemon Mousse Parfaits

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are two camps within the legions of dessert lovers. One is fanatically devoted to chocolate, the other to lemon. This week is dedicated to those who profess lemon to be their chocolate. First up, is a lemon mousse-like parfait that is creamy, tart, and as good looking as it is delicious. The parfait, developed by Sally Tager for Gourmet magazine, is a wonderful way to end a company meal. It's also marvelous for family celebrations and holidays. This is a custard-type dessert that's lightened with whipped creamed. The thought of lightening anything with whipped cream is an absurdity I know, but this is just one of many oxymorons we deal with each day of our lives. A whipped topping can be substituted for the heavy cream if you wish, but it will change the texture of the parfait and it won't be quite the same. This is easy to make and all the ingredients you need to make it can be found in your neighborhood grocery store. There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you decide to try these. Separate your eggs when they are cold, but whip them when they are at room temperature. When beating cream, the bowl and beaters you plan to use are should be well-chilled. I put mine into the freezer 30 minutes or so before I plan to beat the cream, which coincidentally, should also be icy cold. When zesting your lemons make sure to avoid the white pith. These parfaits are very tart, but only the lemon pith can make them bitter. They can also be made and frozen a day before serving, but if you want a creamy, mousse-like texture place them in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes before dessert is served. Lemon enthusiasts, prepare to be wowed by this easy and delicious treat. Here's the recipe.

Lemon Mousse Parfaits...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Sally Tager and Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup strained fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar, divided use
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 cup very cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) To make the custard: Combine lemon zest and juice, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan, whisking to combine. Over moderate heat, cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and reaches 160 - 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Transfer to another bowl to cool.
2) To beat egg whites: Place egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add reserved 1/2 cup sugar a tablespoon at a time. Beat on high speed until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 minute. Fold meringue into cooled lemon mixture.
3) To beat cream: Place icy cold cream in a chilled bowl and beat with clean chilled beaters until soft peaks form. Add confectioner' sugar and beat at medium speed until stiff peaks are formed. Fold Cream into lemon mixture.
4) To assemble: Divide mixture among eight (8-ounce) stemmed glasses. Freeze, covered with plastic wrap for at least 2 hours. Serve garnished with additional lemon zest, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Cook's Note: Parfaits can be frozen for up to one day. Frozen parfaits should be transferred to refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Blackberry Souffles - Baking Bites
Lemon Pie - Katy's Kitchen
Meyer Lemon Tart with Lightened Lemon Cream - Food Lover's Odyssey
Lemon Tart Brulee - Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy
Lemon Cakes - Pastry Studio
Lightened Up Lemon Bars - Half Baked
Old Fashioned Lemon Pudding - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Pound Cake - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Cloud - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite

Raspberry Yogurt Parfait

If you're watching calories this dessert is a lovely way to end a meal. It's easy to do and can make an ordinary meal special. It has five ingredients and requires no special equipment to prepare. While it must be chilled for 2 hours before serving, it can be assembled in less than 30 minutes. What's the trick? It is difficult to find fromage frais in most supermarkets. If you live in a large metropolitan area, it can be purchased from a cheese store, but the rest of us will have to scramble to find adequate substitutes. The best would be quark or Greek yogurt. The easiest would be a reduced fat cream cheese that's thinned with a little milk. You can also make your own cheese if you feel inspired. I use a minimal amount of sugar in this recipe, so be sure to taste for sweetness as you go along. Frozen berries are fine but make sure they are thawed before you add them to the cheese mixture. A last reminder - the egg whites in this recipe are not cooked, so be sure to use pasteurized eggs or reconstituted powdered egg whites to avoid any chance of salmonella.

Raspberry Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 (8-oz.) cup low-fat vanilla yogurt - room temperature
12-oz. fromage frais, quark or Greek yogurt - room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (optional)
4 large pasteurized egg whites or an equivalent amount of reconstituted powdered egg whites
6-oz. fresh raspberries, mashed or an equivalent amount of frozen, thawed berries
Optional garnish: berries and mint leaves

Directions:
1) Place 1/4 cup water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit until gelatin softens. Add water to a small skillet and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Place bowl containing gelatin in pan and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from pan and cool slightly.
2) Combine yogurt, fromage frais and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add yogurt and stir with a spoon until combined.
3) Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into yogurt mixture until just combined.
4) Transfer half the mixture to another large bowl. Fold in mashed berries.
5) Spoon a portion of raspberry mixture into four (8-oz.) dessert glasses. Top each with a portion of the yogurt mixture. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Garnish with raspberries and mint if desired. Yield: 4 servings.