Frozen blackberry and coconut parfait

Ingredients

For the granola base

• 40g (11/2oz) butter or dairy free spread for a vegan version
• 40g (11/2oz) flaked almonds, roughly crushed
• 40g (11/2oz) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar

For the parfait

• 400g (14oz) can full fat coconut milk
• 2 limes, grated rind of both, juice of 1
• 4 tablespoons runny honey or agave syrup for a vegan version
• 75g (3oz) caster sugar
• 450g (1lb) Greek style yogurt or soya yoghurt
• 225g (8 oz) blackberries
• Viola flowers to decorate, optional

Method

This easy dessert can be made the day before, even the week before and kept in the freezer all ready and waiting to go. Just remember to take it out of the freezer when you sit down for your main course so that it has a little time to defrost slightly so that the flavour of the blackberries comes through and the parfait is soft enough to slice.

Because this recipe uses coconut milk it's great vegans or anyone with a dairy allergy, you just need to swap out the butter for a dairy free spread (such as Stork or Vitalite), the yoghurt for a soya yoghurt and the honey for agave syrup.

1. Line the base and two long sides of a 900g (2lb) non-stick loaf tin with a strip of non-stick baking paper or clingfilm.

2. To make the granola topping, heat the butter in a frying pan, stir in the flaked almonds and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until just beginning to colour. Mix in the pistachio nuts and sugar and cook for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved then take off the heat and leave to cool.

3. For the parfait, pour the coconut milk into a mixing bowl, add the lime rind and juice, honey (or agave) and sugar and whisk together until smooth. Add the yoghurt and whisk briefly until smooth.

4. Pour about one third of the parfait mixture into the base of the lined tin. Crumble about one third of the blackberries over the top, breaking up with fingertips, then spoon over half the remaining parfait mix and repeat so that all the parfait mixture and all the blackberries are added to the tin.

5. Level the surface of the mixture and spoon over the cooled granola in an even layer. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight, covering the top with climgfilm as soon as it is hard.

6. To serve, take the parfait out of the freezer 15-25 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Allow to defrost slightly then run a wetted round bladed knife round the sides of the parfait to loosen it. Turn out on to a plate, peel off the lining paper or clingfilm. Decorate, if liked, with tiny viola flowers and cut into thick slices with a hot knife.

Visit our blackberry recipe section for more dessert ideas, or for more frozen dessert ideas see our ice cream and sorbet recipes