A winning dessert from the Kontos Foods Culinary Challenge provides a light, lemony finale to a sophisticated holiday meal
Paterson, N.J. – Dec. 5, 2017 –Offer your guests something out of the ordinary this holiday season. This Loukoumades Lemon Curd Rice Pudding Parfait (made with Kontos International Pastry Puffs) would be a perfect, sparkling finale to any dinner party, cocktail soiree or special gathering. It won first place in the desserts category in last month’s Kontos Foods Culinary Challenge, a “Chopped”-style event to come up with new recipes for Kontos International Pastry Puffs. Kontos Foods, Inc. (www.kontos.com), a U.S.-based manufacturer of traditional Greek and Mediterranean foods, sponsored the event, which was held at held at the Culinary Studies Institute at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills, Mich., and coincided with the monthly meeting of the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine, the Michigan chapter of the American Culinary Federation.
Oakland Community College student, and aspiring chef, Charles J. Moceri created this parfait recipe, which layers a homemade lemon curd/rice pudding mixture with Kontos International Pastry Puffs (called Loukoumades in Greek culture), in the form of a toasted, almond breadcrumb topping. The parfait is finished with honey, a dollop of white chocolate mousse top and a mint leaf. While the ingredient list is long, the parfait comes together quickly, and will disappear from the dessert buffet even faster. Enjoy!
Loukoumades Lemon Curd Rice Pudding Parfait
Ingredients:
Lemon Curd
3 lemons
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
¼ lb. unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
½ cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Rice Pudding
1 cup uncooked rice
1 ½ cups cooked rice
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half & half
1 egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Loukoumades Topping
4 cups Kontos International Pastry Puffs (about 12 chopped)
1 cup blanched sliced almonds
1/2 cup Granular Sugar
3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
Honey
White Chocolate Mousse
8 ounces heavy cream
5 ½ ounces white chocolate
2 teaspoon fresh mint (optional)
1 ¼ teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 ounces whole milk
2 ounces egg whites
1 ounce granulated sugar
Lemon Curd:
Zest lemon rind. Cream butter add sugar and lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time; mix well.
Place in saucepan; add lemon juice and salt. Cook over low heat stirring constantly.
Cook until thickened (about 10 minutes). Cool.
Curd is tart.
Rice Pudding:
Cook rice to according to instructions,
Under cook for firmer rice. Rice will be cooked a second time. Place cooked rice, milk, half & half and egg in saucepan.
Heat until liquid thickens. Stirring frequently while watching mixture. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla.
Cool.
Loukoumades Topping:
Place Kontos International Pastry Puffs in food processor; pulse to make coarse crumbs. Process almonds and sugar to make coarse crumbs.
Combine both crumb mixtures, sugar and butter.
Layer on cookie sheet and bake in 350° F oven until golden brown. Cool.
White Chocolate Mousse:
Macerate chopped mint in milk to taste, if using.
Whip cream to soft peaks. Set aside.
Melt white chocolate over a turned-off double boiler.
Strain mint from milk; bloom gelatin in milk.
When chocolate has melted (keep warm) start whipping egg whites in a separate clean bowl. As soon as soft peaks form, add sugar and whip to medium stiff peaks.
Warm the milk/gelatin mixture and add to the white chocolate. Fold in the whites, fold in the cream. Refrigerate to set.
Assembly:
Mix Rice Pudding and Lemon Curd in a bowl. Amount of Lemon Curd can be added to taste.
Select glass for serving. Layer rice/curd and topping: Place 2 tablespoons rice/curd mixture in glass. Place 2 tablespoons topping on rice/curd mixture.
Place 2 tablespoons rice/curd mixture on topping. Place 2 tablespoons topping on rice/curd. Pour an amount of honey on topping.
Pipe or spoon mousse on topping; add a mint leaf (optional) Refrigerate before serving.
(Recipe by Charles J. Moceri for Kontos Foods)
High-Res images available on request.
About Kontos Foods
Founded in 1987, Kontos Foods, Inc. is a Paterson, New Jersey-based provider of artisan breads and traditional Mediterranean foods for restaurants, hotels, food service, retail specialty stores and supermarkets worldwide. The family-owned company specializes in hand-stretched flatbreads, including the Kontos Pocket-Less Pita®, Fillo dough, pastries, olives, gyro meats, and Greek yogurts, as well as nearly 50 varieties of multi-ethnic flatbreads. Kontos, which has over 225 employees and was founded by Evripides (Evris) Kontos with his son Steven, together bring over 100 years’ experience in the premium food industry. The company’s bread and Fillo products are made in the USA. Visit www.kontos.com or call (973) 278-2800.
Media Contact
Patty Yeager
Fastlane Communications
(855) 677-5263, ext. 109
PatriciaY@fastlane.co
Kontos Contact
Warren Stoll
Kontos Foods Inc.
(973) 278-2800, ext. 326
WarrenS@kontos.com