This is a gorgeous dessert for a special occasion and has been adapted from a recipe by Carl Jan Granqvist, probably Sweden's most famous culinary authority. (To read an interview with Carl Jan Granqvist click here.)

Although the parfaits take a little time to make, they can be prepared a day or two in advance and assembled at the last moment. You need some hjortronsylt (cloudberry jam) for this recipe, but it is fairly easy to obtain from IKEA, specialist stores or online.

Summary

Makes: 8 portions

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

Total: 50 minutes + at least 3 hours to set

Tips

– Although this recipe makes 8 portions the parfaits keep well in the freezer, so I never bother making less.

– Cloudberry liqueur can be bought from specialist stores or online if you're not in Sweden, search for “lapponia cloudberry liqueur”. It can be omitted if you can't get any, but it is also a nice drink to serve with the parfaits.

– Occasionally frozen cloudberries are available from online suppliers and they can be used to make an excellent garnish in place of the jam. Although they may defrost in transit, it is fine to refreeze them.

– To make a garnish using cloudberries, add about a teaspoon of caster (superfine) sugar for every tablespoon of berries and stir thoroughly. Cloudberries are a little bitter on their own.

– If you are short of time, you can serve the parfaits without the nut bases!

– To make it easy to remove the parfaits from their moulds, transfer them to a fridge 5-10 minutes before serving or sit them in 2 cm (¾ in) of hot water for 30 seconds.

Ingredients

Parfait

4 egg yolks (note: one egg white is required for the biscuit bases)

120 g (½ cup) hjortronsylt (cloudberry jam)

4 tbsp cloudberry liqueur, optional

50 g (3 ½ tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar

300 ml (1 ¼ cups) whipping cream (heavy whipping cream)

Nut bases

25 g (1 ¾ tbsp) butter

25 g (1 oz) blanched hazelnuts

25 g (1 oz) blanched almonds

12 g (1 ½ tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour

80 g (6 tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar

1 egg white

Garnish

8 tsp hjortronsylt

60 g (4 tbsp) hjortronsylt, sieved to make a coulis

Method

Parfaits

1. Line 8 ramekins with clingfilm (food wrap), bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and half fill a largish bowl with ice ready for step 3.

2. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl. Sit the bowl over the boiling water and beat vigorously with an electric whisk on full power for 2 minutes.

3. Remove the bowl and immediately sit it on top of the ice. Continue whisking on full power for 3 minutes. Leave the bowl sitting on the ice while you sieve the jam and whip the cream.

4. Sieve the hjortronsylt and then add the liqueur (optional). Fold into the egg mixture.

5. Whip the cream until it is soft, but leaving a trailing. Fold the egg mixture into the cream, ensuring that it is thoroughly blended.

6. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and place them in the freezer for at least 3 hours.

Nut bases

7. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and pre-heat an oven to 200C (400F, gas 6, fan 175C).

8. Gently melt the butter for the nut bases and then set aside.

9. Blitz the nuts in a food processor or grinder until thoroughly ground. Mix with the flour and sugar.

10. Whisk the egg white a little and then blend with the melted butter. Add to the nut mixture and mix thoroughly to make an even batter.

11. Spoon the mixture on to two greased baking sheets, creating 8 even piles and leaving room for the mixture to spread when it is baked.

12. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown in the middle and dark brown at the edges, about 10 minutes, and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

13. After a minute or so, trim the nut bases with a sharp knife to match the size of the ramekins.

Assembling

14. Place a biscuit in the middle of a plate, top with a parfait, add a teaspoon of cloudberry jam (or some sweetened cloudberries) and then drizzle the coulis around the parfait.

Recipe courtesy of John Duxbury, founder and editor of Swedish Food.