Sweet week – take 2

Pitfalls with the Parfait?

… or what the recipe doesn't say.

Never let it be said that I don't have your best interests at heart.

The recipe is described as “easy/prepare ahead/freeze” but it isn't as helpful as it could be – here's my contribution.

Grease your loaf tin with a drop of vegetable oil – then line it with clingfilm – the film will stay where it's put, ready for the parfait.

Mixing butter and egg yolks is not the easiest of methods – they have a tendency to split – or curdle – or turn into scrambled egg – whatever you want to call it.

To avoid the curdle, cream the butter on its own. Add a little of the cooled melted chocolate and gently mix, then add one yolk at a time and combine well. Continue adding a little chocolate with each yolk added until all 4 are mixed with the butter and chocolate.

Keep your After Eight mints in the fridge – it makes them much easier to chop – and less messy. The mints should be chopped as finely as possible.

Flustered and recipe gone to pot? Got side tracked, the door bell rang and the rest is history – your melted chocolate that was supposed to be cooling is a thing of the past and is now a solid block. Take a breath.

Boil a kettle and carefully place in a bowl large enough to take the bowl containing the set chocolate – not too much, remember you are going to sit the chocolate bowl in the other so that the boiling water can warm the set chocolate. Be patient, after a couple of minutes you'll see the edges of your chocolate melting and glossy. Very gently, turn the chocolate over so that it can begin to melt evenly, after another couple of minutes you'll be able to gently work the chocolate so that it's ready to use.

Similarly if your whipped cream has been deserted (couldn't resist) for a short while it'll be fine to use provided you've not added the alcohol.

When you're ready to rock and roll slice the portions whilst the parfait is beginning to defrost – it will be too soft if you leave it 30 minutes and use a large cooks knife with a straight blade – do not use a slicing motion cut your portions slowly but firmly. If you don't chop your mints as finely as possible then the knife will catch on the mints and you won't get a neat serving.

All is not lost!