This vibrant parfait features a silky lemon mousse along with hidden pockets of sweet-tart raspberry compote and a crunchy almond crumble. It’s a refreshing dessert to serve during the warmer months, but really works anytime of the year because the flavors are so classic. Another plus is that it needs to be made at least 3 hours before serving, making it a good choice when you’re entertaining a few dinner guests. The recipe makes some extra Almond Crumble and you’ll thank me for that – it makes an excellent topping for ice cream or even a stand-alone snack (trust me).

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

Almond Crumble:

• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (33 grams) almond flour
• 6 tablespoons (81 grams) light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup whole or slivered (40 grams) blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons (141 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Chunky Raspberry Compote:

• Two 6-ounce (340 grams in total) containers fresh raspberries, divided
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (29 grams) water
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch

Lemon Mousse:

• 3 tablespoons (44 grams) cold water
• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 6 large (112 grams) egg yolks
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (161 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1 cup (232 g) heavy cream

Instructions

Make the crumble:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the flours, sugar, almonds, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix at low speed until well combined. While continuing to mix, add the melted butter and mix just until the crumble comes together.

3. Transfer the crumble to the baking sheet, breaking it up into small clumps and spreading it into an even layer. Bake the crumble for 15 to 18 minutes, tossing well after 8 minutes, until it is golden brown. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and allow the crumble to cool completely.

Make the compote:

4. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 container of the raspberries with the sugar, water, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the raspberries fall apart and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining raspberries, tossing them well to coat them with the sauce. Let the sauce cool completely.

Make the Lemon Mousse:

5. Put the water in a small cup and sprinkle over the gelatin. Let stand to soften while you make the filling.

6. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the yolks, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 7 to 10 minutes (do not let the mixture boil, or it will curdle). The mixture should leave a path on the back of a spoon when you draw your finger across it. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, whisking for about 30 seconds, until dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing it through with a rubber spatula.

7. Set the bowl containing the lemon mixture in a large mixing bowl filled one-third of the way with ice water (be careful that the water doesn’t splash into the lemon mixture). Stir the lemon mixture frequently until it is slightly chilled, about 15 minutes.

8. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to medium peaks. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the chilled lemon curd.

Assemble the parfaits:

9. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the Lemon Mousse into each of 6 serving glasses. Arrange 4 or the saucy raspberries around the edge of each glass, spacing them evenly, and place one in the center of the mousse. Spoon a little syrup on top. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the Almond Crumble on top. Top with another 1/3 cup of the mousse, then finish with a few raspberries and a sprinkling of Almond Crumble. Loosely cover the tops of the parfaits with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Recommended Equipment:

Kuhn Rikon Whisk, 10″

U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set with 600 Degrees Fahrenheit Heat Resistant