Thai Tea Parfait
We made this dessert because of our love for Thai tea sweetened just the way the Thai do, with sweetened condensed milk. We got so many compliments on it that we left it on the Ssäm Bar dessert menu for over a year, which we almost never do. To this day, we still get requests for it. While the ingredients here are off the beaten path of your average pantry, they can easily be found in Chinatown or a Latin market or at amazon.com.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the water and tea leaves in a blender and blend on high for 10 seconds. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a small bowl and reserve. (If there is any grit left in the tea steep, pass it through a coffee filter to remove it.)
Step 3
Bloom the gelatin (see page 29).
Step 4
Heat the Thai tea steep in a small saucepan until it is warm to the touch. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Pour into a medium bowl and whisk in the condensed milk, dulce de leche, tamarind paste, and salt until all the ingredients are dissolved and fully incorporated.
Step 5
Put the bowl in the fridge for about 20 minutes, whisking it every 5 minutes or so. Check the consistency of the base as you whisk it; you don’t want the parfait to set fully, but you want it to get thick enough to be able to fold in the whipped heavy cream mixture and have it hold its shape a bit. The best description for the consistency you are looking for is that of a really thick porridge. Pretend you are Goldilocks and that you are waiting for it to be just right. Pigtails are optional.
Step 6
While the base is setting, lightly Pam-spray 4 (2-ounce) molds of your choice. We use silicone molds for ease of removal after the parfaits have set. Put the molds on a flat, transportable surface; set aside.
Step 7
Whisk the heavy cream and sour cream (in a mixer with the whisk attachment, or by hand) until the mixture reaches medium-soft peaks. If the heavy cream mixture is ready before the parfait base has set, put it in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 8
Once the consistency of the parfait base has reached perfection, pour it into a large bowl and, using a spatula, fold in the heavy cream mixture until the mixture is completely smooth and no white streaks remain. Pour the parfait into the prepared molds, and carefully tap the molds on the countertop a few times to remove excess air bubbles. Freeze for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Step 9
Unmold the frozen parfaits by gently popping them out of their molds or by plunging the base of the molds into warm water for 3 seconds, then tapping them upside down on the counter. Stored in an airtight container, the parfaits will keep in the freezer for 1 month. Thaw before serving, either overnight in the fridge or for 3 hours at room temperature.
Step 10
To serve, use the back of a spoon to schmear (see page 29) a quarter of the lemon mascarpone across the center of each of 4 plates. Place a Thai tea parfait in the center of each schmear. Sprinkle one-quarter of the Thai tea crunch over the center and down the sides of each parfait and top the crunch with tiny torn pieces of mint. Serve immediately.
notes
Step 11
Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the sheet gelatin: use 1/2 teaspoon.
