Frozen blackberry and coconut parfait

Name: Frozen blackberry and coconut parfait
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 29 min
Yield: 6 servings

This frozen blackberry parfait is a great prepare-ahead dessert and uses coconut milk, so is easily adapted for vegans.

Seasonalberries

By Saga Magazine | Published - 30 Aug 2026

Prep time

25 mins

Cooking Time

4 mins

Serves

Ingredients

For the granola base

40g (1½oz) butter or dairy-free spread for a vegan version
40g (1½oz) flaked almonds, roughly crushed
40g (1½oz) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon caster sugar

For the filling

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 (8oz) blackberries
Viola flowers to decorate, optional

Method

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Notes

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.

Our thanks to seasonal berries for this recipe.

A woman in a yellow t-shirt and striped sun hat facing out towards an azure blue sea

How to have peace of mind about your holiday

The complete guide to European winter sun

Britain's most beautiful university towns

Prue Leith’s Madeira cake

Bake Off judge Prue Leith shares her recipe for Madeira cake, a traditional buttery sponge cake with a mild lemon flavour.

A dish with aubergine parmigiana covered in browned, melted cheese

The Hairy Bikers' aubergine parmigiana

Also known as parmigiana di melanzane, The Hairy Bikers share their healthier version of this delicious classic Italian dish.

A slice of cake on a plate, with raspberries and a fork

Almond and raspberry cake

This gluten-free raspberry cake uses ground almonds instead of flour, which helps give it a rich flavour.

Baked cod with a herb and mature Cheddar breadcrumb crust

Diana Henry’s recipe for a lovely fresh fillet of cod baked in a cheese and herb breadcrumb crust.

Golden bread and butter pudding in an oval dish

James Martin’s bread and butter pudding with cherry compote

The chef and TV presenter’s recipe for the traditional British dessert, served with a simple cherry compote.

Baked quiche in a dish, shown from above

Forget-the-pastry quiche

Try this carb-free crustless quiche created by Celebrity Masterchef Champion Liz McClarnon.

a potato cake and rashers of bacon in a frying pan

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall potato cakes

This potato cakes recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is perfect for using up leftover mash.

A square of sticky toffee pudding served on a white plate

Mary Berry’s ginger sticky toffee pudding

Few can resist this enticing combination of spicy ginger pudding with hot sticky toffee sauce.

Mother butter chicken

Mowgli Street Food founder Nisha Katona shares her recipe for mother butter chicken, Mowgli’s bestselling curry.

Rice pudding in a light blue bowl topped with a raisin sauce

The Hairy Bikers' quick rice pudding

This fast and delicious rice pudding recipe by the Hairy Bikers is cooked on the hob instead of in the oven to save time.