Serves 6 to 10, depending on size of parfaits
Notes
Bread and chocolate was a special treat for me when I was a child, and sometimes Grandma would turn it into a simple, luscious dessert like this one. The beauty of this recipe is the recycling of the old bread into something new and tasty. These parfaits can be made a few hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2¾ cups heavy cream, 1½ cups of it chilled for whipping
- ¼ cup hazelnut liqueur
- 8 ounces thinly sliced day-old country bread, crusts removed, cut into large chunks (about 2 to 3 inches)
- 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
- 1 cup toasted coarsely chopped skinned hazelnuts
Directions
In a double boiler (or a bowl set over simmering water), combine the chocolate and 1 cup cream over low heat. Once the chocolate melts, remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the liqueur, and pour into a shallow baking dish. Add the bread, and turn to coat. Let the slices sit, turning occasionally, until they’re soaked and softened, about 10 minutes, depending on how hard the bread is.
In the same double boiler, melt the Nutella with ¼ cup of the cream. When it’s warmed, whisk until smooth. Stir in half of the chopped nuts.
Whip the remaining 1½ cups chilled cream to soft peaks.
To assemble, fit the soaked bread into the bottom of parfait-or wineglasses, adding any soaking juices that remain (6 to 10 portions, depending on your serving size). Drizzle with the chocolate-hazelnut sauce. Top with whipped cream and a final sprinkling of nuts. Serve immediately.
