Pomegranate Liqueur Pumpkin Parfaits

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Happy Pomegranate
Month! Yes, my friends.
November is National
Pomegranate Month. As
I sit here enjoying the
beauty of the Flatirons, the snow shimmering
in the sun, sipping my PAMA
Pomegranate Liqueur, all is right in the
world. OK, so it is afternoon, and I’m
hitting the sauce. But I must do my
research and know what I’m writing
about, right? Excuses, excuses.

Actually, I just love the stuff. The
treat of the week is PAMA
Pomegranate Liqueur Pumpkin
Parfaits. Yes, more pumpkin, and, yes,
that’s a lot of Ps. It is topped with toasted
pecans, but I figured I would spare
you that last P. In case you haven’t
guessed, I do a month full of pumpkin
desserts. I get requests for pumpkin
treats other than
Pumpkin Pie, so I try
to come up with simple,
manageable desserts.
This week the
pomegranate worked
in perfectly.

I’m not actually
using a pomegranate,
mind you, but instead
using the liqueur that
is made with pure
pomegranate juice,
premium vodka and a
hint of tequila. The
amount used in the
dessert is just enough
to give the delicious
pomegranate taste but won’t have
Grandma snockered before the Broncos
play. I know turkey tends to take center
stage. I guess that’s why Thanksgiving is
so often referred to as Turkey Day. But
this dessert served up in some fancy
glasses — or not so fancy, if that’s the
way you roll — will be remembered long
after the turkey coma wears off.

If you don’t want to use PAMA
liqueur, just substitute pomegranate juice
instead, or maybe make an adult and kiddie
version. They both will be packed with
antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K and
folic acid. One ingredient just happens to
also make you warm and fuzzy inside.
So celebrate National Pomegranate
Month by breaking open some PAMA,
whipping up my dessert and enjoying
the view of the Flatirons. And if it just
happens to be in the afternoon, then so
be it. You can’t enjoy the Flatirons at
night, can you? Now, follow the directions,
put some love into it, and invite
me over when it´s done.

Before you start: Make sure your
whipping cream and bowl are well
chilled before beating. Be creative in
your glassware choices. I like to use wine
and martini glasses. Serve the PAMA
chilled alongside the dessert.

PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
Pumpkin Parfaits

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup puréed pumpkin
1 /4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup PAMA pomegranate liqueur
(I like a little more, but this amount is a
great start)
8-10 shortbread cookies
1/4 cup toasted pecans (place on baking
sheet 5 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees)
In small bowl, mix pumpkin, 1/4 cup
powdered sugar, allspice, cinnamon and
ginger. Set aside.

In large chilled metal bowl, beat
whipping cream and 1/2 cup powdered
sugar until just
starting to form
soft peaks, but still
liquid.

Pour half of
the whipping
cream/sugar mixture
out and place
in medium bowl.
Set aside.

Continue
beating the
remaining cream
in the metal bowl
until stiff peaks
form. Fold in
pumpkin mix gently
until well combined.
Set in refrigerator.

Add the PAMA to the other bowl of
whipping cream, and beat until soft
peaks form. (Use a drop or two of red
food coloring if desired.)

When ready to assemble, take out
your favorite wine, parfait, martini or
water glass.

Start with a large dollop of the
pumpkin cream, crumble a shortbread
cookie over that, dollop the PAMA
cream over the cookie. Top with the
toasted pecans and garnish with cinnamon.
Pour yourself a nice little glass of
PAMA and enjoy!

Note: Depending on what size of
glass you use, you can do a single-layer
parfait, as stated above, or if you have a
water glass or milkshake glass, you can
do two layers. This recipe will make six
to eight small to medium parfaits. I
used a couple drops of red food coloring
in the PAMA whipped cream for a
nice ruby color resembling a pomegranate.

You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to jdromega@aol.com.