Amaretto Parfait and New Year’s Round-Up

Celebrate the New Year with an Amaretto Parfait! Cubes of vanilla pound cake are layered with Amaretto Whipped Cream, Chocolate Ganache, and a splash of additional Amaretto for a decadent and beautiful dessert.

Disclaimer: Consume alcoholic beverages at your own risk and liability. This recipe is intended only for those over the age of 21 (in the United States). Please drink responsibly.

One of my favorite things about this Amaretto Parfait is how easily it comes together! You can even make the Amaretto whipped cream a day or two ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to layer (this also works with the chocolate ganache, but it needs to be reheated in a double boiler or in short spurts in the microwave until smooth and pourable again).

Start with a layer of Amaretto whipped cream in the bottom of each serving glass and cover with cubed vanilla pound cake (store-bought or your favorite recipe). Splash with a little Amaretto and top with a bit of chocolate ganache. Repeat these layers again until reaching the top of the glasses, finishing with the whipped cream. For a more festive look, garnish with some fancy sprinkles or dark chocolate curls.

Looking for more parfait recipes? Try my Meyer Lemon Graham Parfaits, Lemon Blueberry Parfait, and Matcha Kanten and Strawberry Parfait.

Amaretto is a sweet almond-flavored liqueur from Saronno, Italy. Some brands may include almonds, but most are actually traditionally made using apricot kernels. It is now available in most liquor stores, but you can also make your own (I have not tried yet).

New Year and Appetizer Ideas:

Ozōni (Japanese Rice Cake New Year Soup)

Champagne Chicken

Vasilopita (Greek New Year Cake)

Three Cheese Macaroni Bites

Caramelized Shallot Gruyere Fondue

Bitterballen (Dutch Fried Meatballs)

Sorbete de la Rioja (Spanish Rioja Wine Sorbet)

Banitsa (Bulgarian Cheese Pie)

Neujahrsbrezel (German New Year’s Pretzel)

Rántott Gomba (Hungarian Fried Mushrooms)

Shakarli Bodom (Uzbek Sugar-Coated Almonds)

Soda Crackers

French Onion Potstickers

French Onion Dip

Garlic Chicken with Bok Choy Rice Cakes

Kremmydopitarakia Milou (Greek Onion, Cheese, and Mint Crescents)

Liptauer (Austrian Paprika and Herb Cheese Spread)

Marinated Goat Cheese

Parmesan Chicken Bites with Garlic Cheese Sauce

Pork Belly Sliders

Radish Chive Tea Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds

Sugar-Coated Cashew Nuts

Tiny Tacos

Salami Crostini with Pecorino, Walnuts, and Honey

Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

Amaretto Parfait Recipe

Adapted from The Cozy Apron

Print Pin

Amaretto Parfait

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword amaretto, cake, chocolate, dessert, holiday, new year, parfait, whipped cream

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

Amaretto Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups heavy cream cold
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

For serving:

• 8 ounces vanilla pound cake ~1/2 loaf
• 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
• Sprinkles or dark chocolate curls for garnish

Instructions

To make the Amaretto whipped cream:

• In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream using a hand or stand mixer until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Add the amaretto and almond extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the chocolate ganache:

• In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Allow to sit for about 30 seconds before stirring to combine. Continue to stir until smooth. If not using right away, refrigerate in an airtight container and reheat right before using.

To assemble:

• Slice the vanilla pound cake into small cubes. Add about 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream to the bottom of 4-6 individual serving glasses. Top each with 1/4 cup of the pound cake. Drizzle about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the amaretto over the pound cake. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of the chocolate ganache. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the glasses, ending with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate or sprinkles and serve immediately.