Equipment
Ingredients
Amaretto Cheese Mousse
- 200 g fromage blanc, chilled
- 150 g mascarpone, chilled
- 45 g icing sugar, sifted
- 30 ml amaretto liqueur
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Blood Orange Sauce & Fruit
- 4 blood oranges
- 50 g caster sugar
- 150 ml blood orange juice
- 5 g cornstarch
Salted Caramel Ribbon
- 100 g caster sugar
- 60 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 30 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 g sea salt, flaky
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 606 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 89 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 76 g
- Sodium
- 238 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 33 mg
- Potassium
- 417 mg
- Calcium
- 226 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 21 mg
- Phosphorus
- 86 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 347 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 86 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 38 mcg
- Water
- 174 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a sharp paring knife, remove the top and bottom of three blood oranges. Cut away the peel and pith following the curve of the fruit. Carefully slice between the membranes to release the supremes. Squeeze the remaining empty membranes into a bowl to collect the juice, supplementing with the fourth orange to reach 150ml.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the blood orange juice, 50g of caster sugar, and cornstarch. Heat over medium until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and chill.
For the caramel, place 100g of caster sugar in an even layer in a clean saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar melt without stirring, swirling the pan gently, until it reaches a deep amber color around 170°C/340°F.
Immediately remove the caramelized sugar from the heat. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream, noting that it will bubble vigorously. Once settled, whisk in the butter and sea salt until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chilled fromage blanc, mascarpone, sifted icing sugar, amaretto, and vanilla extract. Whip gently just until the mixture is uniform, thick, and holds soft peaks. Be careful not to overmix, as the mascarpone can split.
Arrange four parfait glasses. Pipe or spoon a layer of the amaretto cheese mousse into the bottom. Drizzle with cooled caramel, then spoon over a layer of the chilled blood orange sauce and a few fresh blood orange supremes. Repeat the layers, finishing with supremes on top.
Transfer the assembled parfaits to the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours to allow the layers to set and the flavors to meld before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Fromage blanc provides a wonderful lactic tang that cuts through the fat of the mascarpone. If substituting with Greek yogurt, make sure it is strained and very thick.
- For the cleanest parfait presentation, use a disposable piping bag to layer the cheese mousse, preventing it from smearing on the sides of the glasses.
- The blood orange supremes contribute necessary acidic bursts to contrast the caramel. Ensure you remove all pith, as its bitterness will clash with the delicate amaretto notes.
- Letting the caramel cool to room temperature before assembling is crucial; if it goes in hot, it will melt the mascarpone and collapse the dessert.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately if possible, or assemble up to 4 hours before serving to prevent the caramel from bleeding excessively into the cheese.
Troubleshooting
Mascarpone and fromage blanc mixture splits and looks grainy
Cause: Over-whipping or mixing warm ingredients with cold mascarpone
Fix: Gently fold in a tablespoon of cold heavy cream until it smooths out, though texture may remain slightly compromised
Prevention: Ensure all dairy is very cold before mixing and stop whipping the moment it comes together
Caramel turns into a hard lump when cream is added
Cause: Cream was too cold, causing the hot sugar to seize instantly
Fix: Return the saucepan to low heat and whisk constantly until the hardened sugar dissolves into the cream
Prevention: Use room temperature or slightly warmed cream, and whisk continuously while pouring
Sugar crystallizes during caramelization
Cause: Stirring the sugar instead of swirling the pan, or impurities in the sugar
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Discard and start over with fresh sugar
Prevention: Do not stir the melting sugar; use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan
Cultural Context
The term parfait translates directly to perfect in French, traditionally referring to a frozen dessert made from a base of sugar syrup, egg, and cream. In modern culinary applications, the term has evolved to describe elegantly layered desserts served in clear glassware. This particular dish marries classic French techniques with Italian influences, utilizing the almond-forward profile of Amaretto and the rich texture of mascarpone to compliment the lightness of traditional French fromage blanc.
