Hazelnut Caramel Parfait – without an ice cream maker

Put the egg yolk, icing sugar and vanilla seeds into a Bowl and whip with the mixer until pale and airy. The mixture should clearly increase in volume — this is the basis for the creamy texture of your parfait.

Carefully fold the already whipped full cream into the egg yolk mixture with a Dough scraper. Work in portions and always stir from the bottom up. This keeps the mixture nice and airy and stops it going runny — that is exactly what makes the difference between a light parfait and a heavy cream.

Roughly chop the caramelised hazelnuts with a knife and mix them into the mixture. Stir well until everything is evenly distributed. The little pieces later provide the typical crunchy bite in every portion.

Fill the mixture into a Piping bag and pipe it into the Donut silicone moulds — about 50 g per mould. This makes 12 pieces. The ring shape is ideal for placing the Caramel cream in the centre later.

Into the freezer with them! Let them set for at least a few hours, ideally overnight. Only when the mixture is really firm will it release cleanly from the mould later.

Once the parfaits are firm, release them from the mould. Fill the hollow in the centre — where the donut shape leaves its characteristic indentation — with the Caramel cream. This is easiest again with a Piping bag, for a clean and even filling.

Decorate with more caramelised hazelnuts and a Dark chocolate couverture. The contrast between the creamy parfait, crunchy nuts and intense chocolate makes this dessert a real highlight.