Parfait à la Grecque

Parfait à la Grecque is a classic French dessert featuring a base of sponge cake or ladyfingers soaked in a syrup often flavored with orange blossom water or rum, layered with a rich custard or pastry cream, and typically topped with whipped cream and toasted almonds. It's a chilled, elegant layered parfait that showcases French patisserie techniques.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

This dessert is high in carbohydrates from the cake and sugar, and high in fat from the custard, cream, and nuts, making it quite calorie-dense. A typical serving can range from 400 to 600 calories, providing a significant energy boost along with some protein and calcium from the dairy components.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	210 kcal
Protein	15 g
Carbs	20 g
Fat	8 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	12 g
Sodium	95 mg
Calcium	200 mg
Potassium	350 mg
Vitamin B12	1.2 µg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.3 mg
Phosphorus	220 mg
Magnesium	30 mg
Vitamin D	1.5 µg
Zinc	1.8 mg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Despite its name, the dish is French in origin, not Greek; the 'à la Grecque' style in French cuisine traditionally refers to a preparation with olive oil, lemon, and herbs, but in this dessert, it likely refers to the elegant, layered presentation reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture. It's a fascinating example of how culinary names can evolve and sometimes become detached from their literal translations.