☀️ Fruity Summer Birthdays

July Birthday time! First on the menu, some summertime parfaits. This only made 3 because I was also making a cake, so feel free to double or triple.

The Basil and Lime-infused Coconut Whip

1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight

1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup (adjust for non-my sister taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 medium-sized leaves of fresh basil, chiffonaded

1.) Chill mixing bowl in fridge for 15 minutes and prep the basil.

2.) Scoop out hardened coconut cream into chilled mixing bowl. Set aside any coconut water that remains and use for another purpose.

3.) Using a hand mixer, beat up the coconut cream for one minute or until smooth. Add the maple syrup and lime juice and beat until combined and smooth. (If it is too warm during this process, let it chill in fridge.)

4.) Taste to adjust for sweetness and basil-ness. Leave in fridge until you are ready to make parfaits.

The Fresh Fruit

Seasonal fruits according to taste a presentation… I used ripe mango, nectarine and a little bit of strawberry for some color pop.

Dice all uniformly and toss in fresh lime juice.

Not a toilet scrubber, but mango! Perfectly ripe!

The lime juice really compliments the fruit.

Cake or Cookie Layers

This is a fully customizable step. Since I was making a separate cake for my Dad, I used some of the batter to make a small cake for crumbling for the parfaits.

Assembly

Allow coconut cream to come to room temperature or mix until smooth again. Layer cookie/cake, cream and fruit in a clear cup. Ration ingredients to create several sets of layers. Garnish appropriately. I used toasted coconut, basil and the fruit. Set in the fridge to set. Eat relatively soon after making.

The cake did not fare well in the heat… which made presentation a bit… er… odd. And now it’s time for a heatwave-induced baking break.