If you love strawberry shortcake, you will surely enjoy this strawberry parfait recipe. Light layers of ready-made dessert cups, a homemade strawberry compote and yogurt topped with whipped cream creates delightful strawberry parfaits perfect for breakfast or brunch.
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Strawberry parfaits are one of my favorite brunch items to enjoy during spring and summer. It's an easy treat that offers a fun spin on the everyday strawberry parfait while looking ever so scrumptious and refreshing. Strawberry parfaits are a great option to serve during a hosted breakfast or brunch, as well as a dessert for a pot luck.
The strawberry yogurt parfaits can be assembled in a variety of glasses. Just ensure you use clear glasses that allow the beautiful parfait layers to be exposed.
If you have extra strawberries after making this recipe, try baking up a batch of strawberry cream cheese danishes or serve up strawberry peach smoothies.
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Strawberry Parfait Ingredients
- Dessert Shells: Dessert shells or dessert cups are usually found in the produce department of most supermarkets. They are a ready-made sponge cake, often used to make strawberry shortcakes.
- Yogurt: Use either a plain or vanilla flavored yogurt, depending on how sweet you would like the parfaits to be. I typically use a plain yogurt because I find the strawberry compote adds enough sweetness to the entire recipe.
- Strawberry Compote: Making your own strawberry compote is easy, visit my strawberry compote recipe here to quickly cook up a batch. If you'd rather forgo making your own, most grocery stores sell strawberry pie filling and topping that can also be used.
- Whip cream and Strawberry Slices: Add thinly sliced strawberries within the parfait layers. Top off the parfait with whipped cream and a strawberry on top!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Strawberry Parfaits
Once you have all the ingredients together, it's just a matter of layering the flavors to your choosing. I decided to start with the sponge cake, then the strawberry compote and strawberry slices to allow the sponge cake to soak up a bit of the compote sauce. Then I spooned the yogurt on top of the compote as the third layer.
Depending on the glass you choose, aim to have 3 or 6 complete layers, so the flavors of each component will be evenly distributed. Don't worry too much about having perfect layers. Parfait making can get a bit messy, but they are forgiving and will still taste just as delicious!
Top the strawberry parfait with whipped cream and a strawberry, and it is ready to enjoy.
Parfait Variations
Fruit parfaits are one of those recipes that allow for many variations and substitutes.
- Compotes: Once you have a tried and true compote recipe down, you can easily make compotes out of your favorite berries and mix up the flavors for parfaits, such a blueberry parfait or cherry parfait.
- New Layers: Make a parfait your own with surprising layers such as pudding, whipped sweetened cream cheese or chocolate mousse.
- Toppings: Opt for a traditional topping such a granola and additional fruit, or add a sprinkle of nuts, toasted coconut, or dehydrated fruits.
How to Store Parfaits
Something wonderful about parfaits is that they can be made a day or two ahead of time and surprisingly hold up quit will. Simply make the parfait (minus the whipped cream topping) in the glass you will be serving it in. Cover the top of the glass with plastic wrap. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and add the whipped cream topping and strawberry garnish. The strawberry parfaits will be chilled and just as fresh as the day you made them.
Strawberry Parfaits Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 shortcake dessert shells
- 1 cup strawberry compote
- 32 ounces plain yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- whipped cream optional
Instructions
- Choose clear glasses that will allow enough room for three or six parfait layers. Tear a dessert shell into small pieces and place some pieces on the bottom of the glass, serving as the bottom layer.
- Next, spoon a layer of strawberry compote over the dessert shell pieces. Place strawberry slices over the strawberry compote. Then spoon a layer of yogurt over the strawberry slices. Repeat the layers again if assembling the parfait in a tall glass.
- Top the parfait with whipped cream and a strawberry if desired.
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