Lemon verbena infuses two of the dessert's three elements here, first in the blended strawberry sauce, then again in the cashew cream, so that its plant-based note ties the whole parfait together rather than staying limited to a single layer. Fresh strawberries appear in every layer of the dessert — sliced raw for the base layers, blended for the sauce, and absent from the cashew cream, which gets its body from soaked cashews and that same infusion. Straining the sauce and the cream through a fine sieve removes the seeds and any cashew residue, giving two textures silky enough to be layered cleanly in a glass, with no piece breaking up the whole. Building the parfait on three repeated layers of strawberries, sauce and cream gives it a striped look, almost worthy of a restaurant, without ever turning on the oven. One last handful of freshly cut strawberries on top adds a bit of texture against all that creaminess. The recipe is designed for four individual glasses, making it an easy dessert to prepare ahead for a dinner where you'd rather avoid last-minute rushing.
Strawberry and Lemon Verbena Parfait
Share this article
Ingredients
For the base:
- 2 punnets of fresh, ripe strawberries, sliced
For the strawberry and lemon verbena sauce:
- 1 punnet of fresh, ripe strawberries
- 1 cup lemon verbena infusion, cooled
- 2 tbsp whole cane sugar (or another sweetener of your choice)
For the cashew cream:
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1½ cups lemon verbena infusion, cooled
- 3 tbsp whole cane sugar (or another sweetener of your choice)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Make the sauce: blend the punnet of strawberries, the cooled infusion and the sugar until you get a smooth purée.
- Strain the purée through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, then set the sauce aside.
- Make the cashew cream: add the cashews, the infusion, the sugar and the vanilla to the blender and blend until silky.
- Strain the cream through a fine sieve too, for the smoothest possible texture.
- Assemble the parfait in a glass: start with a layer of sliced strawberries, pour over a little sauce, then add a layer of cashew cream.
- Repeat the strawberry-sauce-cream sequence twice more to fill the glass.
- Finish with a few freshly cut strawberries on top before serving.
Tip
Make the lemon verbena infusion well ahead of time and let it cool completely before using it in the sauce or the cream, since a still-warm infusion would soften the cashews unevenly. Straining both preparations takes a few extra minutes, but makes a real difference to the final texture — don't skip this step even if you're in a hurry.
The full range Freeze Dried Fruits
Enjoy the flavor and nutrients of exotic fruits, harvested at maturity in Vietnam and preserved while respecting the nutritional qualities of the fruit., 11 products
-20%
Freeze-dried durians - 200g
€12.24 €15.30
Freeze-dried bananas - 200g
€14.90
Freeze-dried mangoes - 200g
€15.30
FAQ: your questions about the strawberry and lemon verbena parfait
What are the benefits of lemon verbena?
Lemon verbena is mainly known for its soothing and digestive properties: it helps calm the nervous system and supports digestion. It also provides antioxidants that help protect cells, making it an ingredient that's both fragrant and nutritionally interesting.
What are the benefits of strawberries?
Low in calories and rich in water, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and fibre. Their antioxidants help protect cells from ageing, making them a fruit that's both indulgent and beneficial for health.
How do you make homemade cashew milk or cream?
The principle is simple: raw cashews are soaked, then blended with a liquid — water, or here a lemon verbena infusion — until smooth. Straining the mixture through a fine sieve, as in this recipe, gives a perfectly silky cream with no graininess at all.
Is it good to eat strawberries every day?
Yes, strawberries can absolutely be part of a daily diet: they're low in calories, rich in fibre and vitamin C, and their low glycaemic index makes them a fruit well suited to regular consumption, especially in a light dessert like this parfait.
Share this article
