Licorice Parfait

Recently on holidays, we dined at "Salt" Luke Mangan's restaurant. A friend told me before we went I had to try the licorice parfait dessert which is on the menu, but as I never been too keen on licorice I agreed but thought "yeh right it will be chocolate or nothing for me.......lol BUT when it came time for dessert.......... I decided to try it for something different, and ordered it on impulse.................. and I am so pleased I did.... So creamy with an lamost ice cream like consistency, and the flavour's were just wonderful togehter, not too heavy in licorice at all, the added lime compliment's the licorice so perfectly, the textures and flavours just blend so well together. I have found the recipe and made it, which I think is exactly ( well... so very, very close) as what I had at the restaurant. Note-- I am one to often make small changes in a recipe BUT ......Do not leave out the Lime...It may sound funny, but the lime and licorice compliment each other so well, it just would not be the same experience without it. I used small segments of lime the same as the restaurant, and topped each with a rolled wafer biscuit, I also chose a soft supermarket licorice to start with, but next time I will look for a fresher licorice. Hope this changes your idea of licorice as it did mine!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Lime syrup Ingredients

• 250  g sugar
• 250  ml water
• 1  lime, juice and rind of
•  lime segment, pith and pips removed

• Licorice parfait Ingredients

• 300  ml  cream
• 50  g  licorice
• 2  free range eggs
• 1  egg yolk
• 2  teaspoons  liquid glucose
• 60  g sugar
• 2  tablespoons Pernod

Directions

1. For the lime syrup, bring the sugar and water to the boil, stirring to ensure the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the lime juice and the rind to taste. Stir well and refrigerate.
2. For the licorice parfait, in a small saucepan combine the cream and licorice and heat gently, without boiling, until the licorice is very soft. Blend the mixture in a food processor until well combined and pour through a fine sieve to strain out the tiny pieces of licorice. Set aside to cool.
3. In a stainless steel bowl over a large saucepan of gently simmering water, make a sabayon by whisking together the eggs, the yolk, glucose, sugar and pernod until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Remove from heat and continue whisking until it cools a little. Fold half of the sabayon into the licorice mixture. Once combined, fold in the remaining sabayon until well combined. Pour into individual moulds, or a log-shaped tin and freeze.
4. To serve, lower the moulds into hot water for a few seconds before turning out the parfait. You can either pour over the lime syrup, or serve it on the table in a jug. Garnish with lime segments.