Strawberry parfait (いちごパフェ) is a cold, Western-style dessert served in a tall glass, featuring layers of whipped cream, ice cream, strawberry sauce, and fresh strawberries. The colorful and sweet and tangy dessert has delighted Japanese people for decades.
What’s Strawberry Parfait?
Parfait (パフェ) originally comes from France, where it was a simple dessert of ice cream and fruit sauce served on a plate. The Japanese parfait is somewhat similar to an American sundae, with whipped cream and ice cream in a glass, but it is even more elaborate, incorporating various flavors and textures.
While strawberry parfait is most commonly found in old-fashioned cafés called kissaten (喫茶店) or American-style family restaurants, there are also specialty parfait shops that serve beautifully crafted, high-end versions of this dessert.
A basic strawberry parfait is served in a tall glass, allowing you to see the layers inside. A classic version typically includes fresh strawberries, whipped cream, ice cream, and cornflakes. While cornflakes might seem like an unusual addition, they provide a pleasant crunch that contrasts nicely with the soft, creamy components. Strawberry sauce is often layered throughout as well. The fresh strawberries bring a natural sweetness with a hint of tanginess, perfectly complementing the cold, fluffy ice cream and whipped cream.
Strawberry parfait is most commonly enjoyed as a weekend afternoon dessert, but more recently, it has also become a trendy late-night treat after bar hopping. While it is traditionally something eaten at restaurants and cafés rather than at home, it can be easily prepared with relatively simple ingredients and steps.
Ingredients and substitutions
We offer a very basic version of strawberry parfait in our recipe, but you can customize it to your heart’s content—there are endless possibilities!
- Instead of vanilla ice cream, try using strawberry or chocolate ice cream. Strawberry ice cream naturally pairs well with fresh strawberries, while chocolate adds a rich contrast that complements the fruit beautifully. If you’re adventurous, try Matcha ice cream. It offers a traditional yet contemporary flavor combination.
- If you prefer a shortcut, store-bought strawberry sauce works just as well in place of homemade sauce. However, making it at home is surprisingly easy with just a few simple ingredients.
- For added texture, swap out cornflakes for your favorite cereal, or even use pieces of sponge cake or pound cake for a soft, cake-like layer.
- It’s perfectly fine to use fresh strawberries to make the sauce instead of frozen ones. Just be sure to adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of the fruit.
More like this recipe
Strawberry Parfait
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries (fresh)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup frosted corn flakes
- 2 scoops vanilla or strawberry ice cream
Strawberry Sauce
- 2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Make the strawberry sauce. Cook 2 cups of frozen strawberries and sugar in a pot over low heat. Once the strawberries release their juice, increase the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for a few minutes. Break the strawberries apart with a spatula and continue cooking until the mixture slightly thickens. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator before assembling.
- Dice half of the strawberries and halve the rest. Mix diced strawberries with the sauce. Whip the heavy cream with sugar to medium-stiff peaks, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assemble the parfait by taking a clear glass and layering the ingredients. Begin with a base of cornflakes, followed by diced strawberries, a layer of whipped cream, and a scoop of ice cream. If the glass is tall, repeat the layers. Finish by arranging the whipped cream and strawberries neatly on top.
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