Hazelnut and Buttermilk Parfait with Miso Caramel, Poached Pear and Hazelnut Crisp
A softly frozen, no-churn parfait of toasted hazelnut and tangy buttermilk, served with warm miso caramel, poached pear and a lacy hazelnut crisp.
This is our hazelnut and buttermilk parfait, the frozen dessert that closes many a meal on the Riverside menu. A neat slab of pale, softly frozen parfait sits on a thin hazelnut crisp, dressed with poached pear, a lacy praline shard and a warm miso caramel that we pour over at the table. At £9.50 it is quiet drama on a plate, and one of the vegetarian puddings Chef Paul is fondest of.
The parfait itself is built on a pâte à bombe, egg yolks whisked to a billowing mousse with a hot sugar syrup, then folded through softly whipped cream. That method is what lets a frozen dessert stay scoopably soft straight from the freezer, with no churning and no ice cream machine in sight. The buttermilk is the clever part, its gentle sour tang cutting through all that richness so the whole thing tastes light rather than cloying, while toasted hazelnuts fold through for warmth and a little crunch.
The one thing worth knowing is that this is a proper make-ahead dessert, and all the better for it. The parfait needs a good six hours in the freezer, ideally overnight, to set to a clean slab you can slice. Take the hot syrup to 118C on a probe and whisk it into the yolks in a slow, steady stream, and the parfait will hold its air beautifully. Everything bar the caramel can be made the day before, leaving only the warm miso caramel to finish at the last moment.
Method
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1
Start with the parfait, as it needs the longest in the freezer. First toast the hazelnuts. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4), spread the 120g blanched hazelnuts for the parfait and the 60g for the crisp on a tray, and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking once, until golden and fragrant. Leave to cool. Roughly chop the 120g for the parfait, keeping some texture, and set the 60g for the crisp aside.
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2
Lightly oil a small terrine or 450g (1lb) loaf tin and line it with cling film, leaving an overhang to help you lift the parfait out later. Alternatively oil and line six individual dariole moulds. Sit the mould in the freezer while you work.
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3
Make the pâte à bombe. Put the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with electric beaters) ready to whisk. Put the 120g caster sugar and 60ml water in a small pan, stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil and cook to 118C on a probe thermometer, the soft-ball stage. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl onto the yolks in a slow, steady stream, taking care to avoid the whisk. Keep whisking for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, mousse-like and completely cool to the touch.
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4
Whisk the 120ml buttermilk and a pinch of salt into the cooled yolk mousse. In a separate bowl, whip the 350ml chilled double cream to soft, floppy peaks, stopping before it stiffens. Fold the whipped cream through the buttermilk mousse in three additions, keeping the mixture as light and airy as you can, then fold through the chopped toasted hazelnuts. Spoon into the prepared mould, level the top, cover with the overhanging cling film and freeze for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, until firm.
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5
Make the hazelnut crisp. Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking parchment and finely chop the 60g toasted hazelnuts. In a small pan, gently melt the 50g butter, 50g caster sugar and 50g golden syrup together until smooth and the sugar has dissolved, then take off the heat and stir in the 50g plain flour and the chopped hazelnuts to a loose batter. Rest for a couple of minutes, then drop well-spaced half teaspoons onto the tray, as they spread a lot. Bake at 180C (160C fan, Gas 4) for 6 to 8 minutes, until lacy, bubbling and deep gold. Leave to firm for a minute, then, while still warm and pliable, drape some over a rolling pin for curved shards and leave others flat for the bases. Once cold and crisp, store airtight until needed.
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6
Poach the pear. Put the 400ml water, 150g caster sugar, the strip of lemon zest and the lemon juice, and the split vanilla pod if using, into a wide pan and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Peel the pears, then use a melon baller to scoop small spheres from the flesh, dropping them into the syrup as you go and keeping the trimmings. Poach the pear balls gently for 6 to 10 minutes, until just tender to the tip of a knife, then take off the heat and leave them to cool in the syrup. For a smear, blitz the pear trimmings with a spoonful of the poaching syrup to a smooth purée and chill.
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7
Make the miso caramel, either just before serving or up to a day ahead. Tip the 200g caster sugar into a clean, heavy pan and melt over a medium heat, swirling the pan rather than stirring, until it becomes a deep amber caramel. Take off the heat and carefully whisk in the 150ml warmed cream, standing back as it will bubble up fiercely. Whisk in the butter, then the miso, until glossy and smooth. Taste and season with a little flaky salt, going carefully as the miso is already salty. Keep warm, or reheat gently to a pourable, warm consistency before serving.
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8
To serve, turn out the parfait using the cling film, or dip the individual moulds briefly in warm water, then slice into neat slabs with a hot, dry knife. Set each slab on a flat hazelnut crisp base. Drain the pear balls and arrange them alongside, add a smear of the pear purée, and lean a lacy hazelnut shard against the parfait. Carry the plates to the table and pour the warm miso caramel over at the last moment, so it runs down and just begins to soften the edge of the parfait.
Chef's tips
- The parfait is the ultimate make-ahead component, happy wrapped in the freezer for up to a week. The hazelnut crisps keep for a few days in an airtight tin, and the pears and miso caramel can both be made the day before. Just rewarm the caramel gently until it is pourable again before serving.
- This is a vegetarian pudding but it is not vegan, as the parfait relies on egg yolks and plenty of dairy, and it contains nuts. It is also not gluten free, since the lacy crisp contains wheat flour and many miso pastes are made with barley. For a gluten free version, use a certified rice-based shiro miso and swap the tuile for a simple praline shard of caramel set with toasted hazelnuts.
- If your caramel seizes or looks split when the cream goes in, do not panic. Return the pan to a low heat and whisk steadily, adding a splash of hot water if needed, and it will come back together smooth and glossy.
- No probe thermometer? Take the sugar syrup to soft-ball stage by dropping a little into a glass of cold water, where it should form a soft, pliable ball between your fingers, which happens at around 118C.
A small glass of chilled Pedro Ximénez sherry, its raisined, treacle and toffee depth a natural echo of the miso caramel and toasted hazelnuts.
Taste the Hazelnut & Buttermilk Parfait as we plate it.
Miso Caramel, Pear, Hazelnut Crisp
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