• There’s a reason why ‘parfait’ means ‘perfect’. This delicious strawberry mousse parfait is just that. Layered with light cake, cream, and sweet fruit, it’s heavenly and irresistible.

    Strawberry mousse parfait

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 30 mins + setting time

    Ingredients

    • 5 strawberries, roughly chopped
    • 175g cream cheese
    • 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla paste or the seeds from ½ a vanilla pod
    • 30g strawberry jelly powder
    • 125ml (½ cup) boiling water
    • 125ml (½ cup) cold water
    • 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
    • 60ml (¼ cup) icing sugar
    • 250g madeira cake
    • 10 – 12 strawberries, thinly sliced
    • fresh whipped cream, to serve
    • fresh berries, to serve
    • fresh mint, to garnish

    Instructions

    1

    Purée the strawberries and set aside. Using an electric mixer, whisk the cream cheese and vanilla paste together, add the puréed strawberries and set aside.

    2

    Combine the strawberry jelly powder with the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add cold water and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.

    3

    Combine the cream cheese mixture with the jelly mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk the fresh cream and icing sugar in a separate bowl until stiff and then fold this into the jelly and cream cheese mixture.

    4

    Add a dollop of the mousse to 4 glasses, place a disc of madeira cake on top of the mousse and decorate the sides of the glasses with the cut strawberries before filling them up with the rest of the mousse. Place in the fridge to set for 1 – 2 hours.

    5

    To serve, add a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries and mint.