I like to think that I heed signs. Not the literal kind, although being new to driving I do heed road signs. I’m speaking more of metaphorical signs. And one afternoon I managed to be blind to all of the signs that were shown to me. One day I took a peek in the fridge and spied a neglected pot of cream. ”I’ll make something with you later” I said to it and closed the door.
I rushed out to see friends and before I knew it the day had gotten away from me. I had that container of cream in the back of my mind thinking “I really should go home and make that almond parfait” but instead I was carousing with friends and shopping. I glanced at the time and it was suddenly 4pm so I made my way back to the car to go home.
The piece of white paper on the car windscreen fluttered at me as if it were waving a hand. “Yoohoo! Look at me!” it said. Could it be my very first parking fine? I prayed for something like a stalker note or something. I snatched it from under the windscreen wiper and there it was, my very first parking fine. $86. For being 15 minutes late. That’s the price of a free range goose! I was mad at myself for being late and having to spend money on something incredibly boring when I could have bought food with the money instead.
In a dark mood, I started the car and it stalled. Our car is prone to temperamental bursts (but luckily this was a once off). I punched in the address into the GPS (and why do GPSs always lag between when you punch a letter in so you end up writing the same letter three times?) and then it just decided to die. This involved another wave of muffled screaming.
I drove on hoping that I could find my way home. At a light a truck driver pulled up next to me and rolled down his windscreen. I must have been scowling at the GPS as he said “Hey luv, is that the Navman? Does that send you around in circles like it does to me?” . I grimaced and nodded “Well if I could turn the damn thing on it might!”. He then kindly helped me with directions to get home which was rather fortunate as I was heading in the opposite direction and exhausted I made it home with a little time of the light to spare for photographs.
I wanted to make this almond parfait for a couple of reasons. One, of course because the cream was expiring in a few days and I knew that I would be away for the next few days and secondly, I wanted to make this while the weather was still warm and ice cream was a desired commodity. The recipe is from the Delicious. More Please cookbook and is a lighter version of an ice cream heightened and buoyed by beaten egg whites and whipped cream.
I know some aren’t comfortable with eating raw eggs but I always have my eggs soft poached and haven’t suffered any ill effects so I don’t usually have any issues with raw eggs personally. However if you don’t want to go the raw egg route I would simply double the amount of the cream and whip that and fold that with the icing sugar, nuts, liqueur and biscuits. The caramel sauce is gorgeous drizzled on top of it and the whole confection is sweet, creamy, nutty and light. Perfect for a dinner party.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you often listen to “signs”? And how long did you have your driver’s license before you got your first fine?
Almond Parfait
Adapted from Delicious. More Please.
- 1/4 cup (40g) whole almonds, sliced
- 300 ml thickened cream
- 4 eggs, separated
- a pinch of salt
- 90g icing sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60ml) amaretto liqueur
- 1/2 cup (80g) blanched almonds, toasted, finely chopped
- 8 Amaretti biscuits, crushed (found at Italian delis)
Caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
- 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Grease and line a 1 litre terrine or 21x10cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of wrap overhanging on the sides. Scatter the sliced almonds over the base to cover. Separate the eggs ensuring that there is no yolk in the white. Using clean electric beaters, beat the whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Place in a clean metal bowl.
2. Then using the same bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form and place this in another bowl. Then in the original bowl (you don’t really have to clean the beaters beforehand between these two steps as long as the egg whites are beaten in a spotlessly clean bowl), beat the gg yolks and icing sugar. Then add the amaretto, toasted almonds and crushed amaretto to the egg yolk mixture and stir until combined. Take a clean metal spoon and gently fold in the egg whites and whipped cream in alternate batches keeping in as much air as possible into the mix.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared terrine, packing it well and smoothing the surface. Tap the tin gently several times to get rid of any air bubbles. Cover with extra plastic wrap and freeze for at least four hours or overnight until firm.
4. Make the sauce which needs to cool before pouring it over the parfait. Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the grains in the sugar have dissolved. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Allow to cool and then chill until ready to serve. If the sauce has solidified in the fridge, microwave for a few seconds.
5. To serve, briefly dip the terrine in warm water then turn out onto a platter. Remove plastic wrap and drizzle with caramel sauce and slice and serve.
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66 Comments | Add your own
What an utterly frustrating afternoon, Lorraine! I think it was about three years before I got my first ticket for speeding.
Haven’t had one since, thankfully! The parfait looks marvelous – love the sauce drizzled so prettily over the top. 
This looks amazing Lorraine, so delicious! I’ve had my license for over 10 years but haven’t had a fine yet (touch wood!)!
That looks just heavenly!
Cheers,
Rosa
That looks lovely! I can’t wait until it’s ice cream weather here.
You are so right, Lorraine! It really is frustrating to be forced to spend money on something as boring as a ticket when the money could have been put to so much better use food-wise.
The almond parfait is lovely and I’m longing for summer to bring its warmth! When it does, this will surely one of the first things I make to celebrate.
That looks so delicious! Like a giant white Mars Bar. Would’ve loved to see a cross section of it as I’m sure it looks beautiful.
Yum, I remember seeing this on your Delicious post and thought it looked divine, still does! I don’t mind raw egg either, it is a similar recipe to the nougat glace i made (and will make again so I remember to photograph it :S ).
Aargh, what a frustrating drive! Glad you got home and were able to eat icecream (even if you had to make it yourself), that always fixes things.
Oh, this looks sweet and refreshing! Yum!
I believe there are signs around us. Sometimes they make themselves obvious when it’s a little too late. Other times, I personally wonder whether I’m reading too much into things.
I have yet to receive a fine, and – fingers crossed – I won’t receive one for a long time!
But if it makes you feel any better. parking officers are quite anal about that sort of thing. We’re all bound to get hit by one of them!
oh this looks delightful! Shame about the parking fine though
I loove making caramel sauce from unused cream. So great to drizzle over desserts!
This looks sooo goood! I’m a big fan of nuts, and I like how this is a lightened version. Lightened = I can eat more ? Right?
The almond parfait looks yum, even to a non-dessert gal like me!
In 45 years of driving I have actually never had a fine, BUT – the second day of owning my own car, late at night and in the rain, a guy (of course!) ran a stop sign from my left and ended me in a ditch upside down. Then swore at me and the police had to handcuff him!! I was belted in and OK. Husband dear insisted on a rented car immediately: get back on the horse etc! Next day took my Mom from the Eastern Suburbs to Northern Beaches in Sydney. Crossed the Bridge and another guy ran into me and how! This one had the decency to phone my hubby and admit to being completely in the wrong. Well, had to take Mom home crying, but the third day was back driving!! Have never stopped! LOVE it! If at once . . .
My husband hates it when I get parking tickets and can get quite snarky about them, so I have embraced a philosophy shared with me by a very dear friend – “Pay it off in cash, say nothing”. It has worked quite well, so far.
That looks wickedly delicious, and I love the way you’ve cut the loaf into triangles.
My first fine was a whopper – over $300 for a red light camera. Never again!
That looks lovely. Just the thing for a late summers evening.
I’m yet to get a fine…but then I don’t drive
Yours looks much nicer than the one in ‘Delicious’. Looks fabulous. Pity about the fine!
This recipe was in the Good Living liftout around the time that the book came out and I used the caramel sauce with a few tweaks on my peanut butter semifreddo recipe. Tis pretty tasty
Lorraine, I got my first parking ticket for being two minutes late. (The lady must have been standing there waiting for it to tick over. I arrived as she was writing it up.) The second was when I accidentally parked two spots down from where it was a 2-hour FREE area, ducked into Coles for 7 minutes, and came back to a ticket. Both times, $70. SO I feel your pain.
I wish I’d had a parfait to come home to after!
That looks lovely, will be trying it soon! I was 34 before I received my first speeding ticket. =)
this dessert would make me feel a tad better about the two fines I’ve gotten this week; one for speeding, the other a parking fine
yes more please!! That looks like perfect entertaining food. Caramel, nuts, ice cream, yum! I haven’t had any car related fine for years, touch wood. I am a pretty law following driver..
Wow, this looks divine!! Not good for my waist. Haha
This looks great – I’m going to have to give it a try.
Eggs are a funny one – After getting sick with salmonella poisoning just before Christmas I am uber careful when it comes to raw or undercooked anything, particularly eggs and chicken. And you definitely shouldn’t eat raw or undercooked eggs when you are pregnant. You have to ask so many questions when you are out at restaurants… Doubling the volume of cream in this recipe, while you won’t quite get the same lightness, is a great option!
Bummer about the parking fine. I think I’d been driving about 4 years before I got my first fine. It’s devastating no matter when you get it I think…
Man, before that I was reading Iron Chef Shellie’s banana and BUTTERSCOTCH muffins. Not i’m reading about almond parfait with CARAMEL sauce.
Torture!!!
I’d just arrived back in Sydney from London, I was 6 months pregnant and I parked in metered parking, in a hurry to get to my drs appointment. Although I’d paid adequately for my parking I did not park rear to curb as per signage – $68 fine.
I’m sure this dessert will cheer me up though!
Oh my that looks incredible! I’m so glad you posted this. When you had the pics up when you were telling us about the cookbook I fell in love! I’ll defo be trying this when it gets warmer here. Sounds like you needed something rich, nutty and delicious after that frustrating afternoon!
I have a love-hate relationship with my GPS. It’s an old one, so frequently sends me to the middle of nowhere and informs me I have ‘Reached My Destination’. When I quite clearly have not. It also likes to send me on long, circuitous journeys through traffic, when with a bit of local knowledge I could get there at a fraction of the time. And yet … I have trouble reading maps, so I put up with the inconvenience. (Yes I am female!)
My GPS has once misled me into driving on a dirt road for a couple kms…which was super scary (I later found out from other people that there’s a highway route to my destination)- now there is a function in my GPS to avoid dirt road, hehe!
Despite all the commotions happened to you, it wasn’t all bad as you ended up with a decadent parfait to lighten your mood.
OMG – just what I needed on a Friday arv to pick me up. Shame I can’t really have a slice, because I am sure that I’d love it!
That looks really good, especially after this hot weather Sydney has had.
I’ve been driving for just under 10 years and still no fines yet (touch wood!)
You’ve only gotten one parking ticket??? That is truly amazing. OK, not like I’m a magnet for the meter maid, but I admit I’ve probably gotten at least four. The meter maids are soooo vigilant in our area, especially because the local cities are all hurting for money in their coffers.
OMGOMG!! Jason and I were just looking for something to make this Sunday and I think I’ve found it!
I’ve just gotten home and, faced with an aging pot of cream in the fridge, couldn’t resist making this. Admittedly, I didn’t have almonds and used macadamias instead. I also didn’t have Amaretto, so I used Cointreau, which was the only thing in the cupboard (apart from Campari!). Heaven knows if it will end up tasting as good as yours looks…
I might have to change the sauce a little too, given the orange flavour I’ve added. I don’t know if caramel and orange is a great combo…
As for parking fines, I just paid for two hours parking only to use half an hour – it’s funny how they never take that into account when booking you a couple of minutes after your time is up!
My one and only parking fine was in Melbourne CBD, where the inspector nabbed me two minutes after parking in a loading zone, which was due to end at 7pm (it was 6.55pm). I forgot something in my car and came back to find him writing the ticket. $130 or something crazy like that. What a meanie!
Look at that gorgeousness! Absolutely beautiful! I can taste the smoothness and the crunch right here!
Gorgeous parfait there! I have a tubful of caramel sauce in my freezer that needs using up, and this looks perfect for it.
Sounds like one of those days Lorraine.
Your parfait looks fantastic. Feels like you’re teasing me though – I got a major parfait craving after seeing it on My kitchen rules last week. Will have to make it now!
Parking inspectors love their work. I got my first parking fine for being ‘too close to the corner’ when I parked. Didn’t look too close to me!! Second parking fine was entirely negligence on my part as I forgot I had parked in a clearway outside my work and did not move the car by 4pm and copped a $185 fine in the 1980s, which was about half my weekly income!! No other fines since, and I’ve been driving since 1982.
Nothing like a good parfait to lift the dark mood of getting a parking fine! The last parking fine I had was when my husband took me for dinner in St Kilda and the parking fine cost more than our meal lol
Poor you! But your dessert looks delicious!
How nice of the truck driver to give you a hand! My GPS gets very confused too, which is soo frustrating!!
I’ve had one parking ticket,but no speeding fines- isn’t cruise control great? I use it all the time even in 60zones.
Raw eggs are pretty good in Australia. Just make sure they’re stored correctly. I love soft poached eggs too and always order them for breakfast.
It seems that most of the time you see the signs after the fact has happened.
Re eggs, I don’t mind raw eggs either, I just make sure to use fresh eggs and to buy the ones whose provenance I trust the most.
This looks lovely, good thing you made it home in time for us to benefit!
I have never eaten a desert like this, it looks lovely.
I was very scared. I remember my leg feeling wet and thinking “OMG i am bleeding” but it was my diet coke LOL. Nobody was hurt thank god.
I only got one ticket, it was when i had my first and only car accident and totalled my mom’s car cause i ran a red light (i swear to this day it was green). It was horrible
*kisses* HH
my last parking fine came because I was so distracted I forgot to feed the meter – how frustrating is that! I have worked and lived around the inner city enough to be very wary of parking inspectors so I should have known better.
I love the idea of the caramel sauce but I baulk at raw eggs – though if I was served it and didn’t know I probably wouldn’t be bothered
The only reason I haven’t yet had a fine is because I barely drive (I try to avoid it when I can); reason being I live up to the stereotype of a) women don’t know their directions, and b) Asians can’t drive.
Sadly, while I feel strongly against said stereotypes, I seem to affirm them. If that was a drive further than 25 minutes, you’re doing far better than me ha.
Back to the parfait, it’s absolutely luscious looking and I do appreciate a scattering of nuts.
So I am a very aggressive driver and well known to the local police who usually just shake their heads at me and mutter about crazy old lady bat out of hell drivers…
hmmm…
This looks lovely! I saw some almonds in my pantry this morning and I’m taking it as a sign that I should make this!
xxoo,
RMW
Gorgeous dessert, Lorraine. I think raw eggs are fine if you know where they come from… i’ve never had any trouble with eggs ( it’s undercooked hamburgers that’ve gotten me. I had one of those tickets this winter. Thought my parking voucher would be fine for 5 more minutes while I ran into Kalustyans and got a $65 ticket…ouch! Won’t do that again.
Sorry you got a ticket. lol I think I was driving about a year when I got my first (not that I have had that many mind you.) I’ve done the muffled screaming occasionally too. A great tension reliever.
The ice cream looks fabulous especially the way you’ve topped it with the luscious caramel. xoxo Mum
Mmmmm that caramel looks delicious. Eeeek that sounds like an awful afternoon at least the parfait worked out perfectly.
I hate, hate, hate paying for parking/speeding fines and like you Lorraine, I begrudge the fact that I could have used that money on FOOD or dining out! lol Hence, in 40 years of driving I’ve had one parking and one speeding fine, I’m a careful driver and triple check parking signs before I park etc.
My dad used to keep chickens so as a child,one of my fondest memories was to collect eggs while they were still warm and eat them raw ( yolk only)in half egg shell with a squeeze of lemon juice or hand-beat the yolk with sugar and Marsala for a rich Zabaglione. Yummo.
I sometimes pay attention to signs but I’m more of going by ‘gut instinct’type of person.
High five to you Lorraine for coming home after such a bad day and making that beautiful Almond Parfait
haha! I hardly get speeding fines but am an honoured recipient of more than a few parking fines!
Did I read whipped cream???
Awwhhh, commiseration’s about the fine, its enough to ruin a girls day, but the Almond Parfait with all that glorious caramel sauce would’ve bucked you up a bit (it sure would’ve me)
You’ve never had a parking fine before?! Are you human, dear Lorraine?! Oh of course you are not…you churn out ethereal desserts and dishes almost every day! You’re such a culinary goddess!
*drool* I love ANYTHING caramel.
And I got my first fine of any description just before Christmas. Cause I forgot to pay the rego. Dammit!
So, almost 20 YEARS!
Sometimes thigs just go wrong, and wronger…and wronger! TG for the good man who helped you home. Sorry about the hefty fine; that will pinch for a bit! Love the parfait, and ooooooh to the caramel sauce. YUM YUM!!
Wow, looks delicious… especially when I’m on a diet.
Great post
That looks delicious, brilliant way to end a summer dinner party
Parking fines are the worst! Don’t worry, it happens to all of us. This, on the other hand, looks fabulous! I’m impressed, as always.
Heidi xo
How yummy! I am Italian and this dish is very common back home… especially in Sicily! I serve mine with a hot dark chocolate sauce, but the caramel version sounds very tasty too! Thanks for sharing!
I have had 2 fines in 40 years of driving in Australia. I have had my Italian licence for 6 months – nothing yet.
I saw a review of this book recently online and couldn’t stop drooling at the photos. This was one treat that was shown and I’d already marked as first on my list of ones to try. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Lorraine!
Woaaa , that was some afternoon i tell u…
lol!
I know exactly what u mean coz i time all my baking around the sun
Well u sure put the cream to fantastic use , the caramel sauce make it all the more better!
the almond parfait looks spectacular, and not just because of that fierce sauce. lovely work!
and i’ve only gotten one fine–a speeding ticket. me and my lead foot.
OH NO! Another one on the hip list! The gym is my friend, the gym is my friend.
Sounds like you had one of “those” days. I’d only had my license for a week when I got my first parking fine, but fortunately I haven’t had a fine since. The almond parfait looks gorgeous, just what you’d need after a bad day.
I have never tried a parfait, look lovely. Regarding the speeding ticket, it happens the the best of us.
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