May 1 recognizes the food holiday National Chocolate Parfait Day.
Enjoying a delicious chocolate parfait would be a perfect way to end your day. Parfait literally means “perfect” in French! There are a couple of ways to make parfaits. The traditional French-style uses sugar syrup, eggs and cream. The American style layers parfait cream, ice cream and flavored gelatin in a tall, clear glass topped with whipped cream, fruit and liqueurs. The parfait has recently taken a wholesome turn using yogurt layered with nuts and fresh fruits, instead of ice cream and sugary syrups.
- Dark chocolate has more antioxidants than green tea and just as many as blueberries.
- White chocolate really isn’t chocolate. It’s made from cocoa butter, the substance you get by pressing cocoa beans. Cocoa butter is absent of the cocoa solids used to make chocolate.
- Chocolate was consumed by the ancient Aztecs as a frothy beverage, somewhat like hot chocolate we drink today.
- Chocolate comes from a plant, called Theobroma cacao, which translates “Food of the Gods”.
- Eating chocolate can also reduce the symptoms of stress.
- The fat, sugar, alcohol or air interferes with the formation of water crystals, which would otherwise give the ice cream an uncomfortable texture in the mouth.
- The oldest recipe with the name parfait comes from a French cookbook dated 1869. It was a frozen coffee-flavoured French ice dessert constructed in parfait-shaped (tall and thin) ice cream moulds.
- French style parfait is served on decorated plates instead of tall, thin glassware.
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