Chocolate Parfait Bar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8 x 8” pan and grease bottom and sides of pan. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (without letting the bowl touch the water).

In a separate saucepan gently melt butter – be careful not to let it boil. Once melted, combine butter and chocolate and stir until smooth. Set aside.

In a mixer, combine eggs and sugar and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.

Add the flour mixture and continue to mix on low until well combined. Finally, add the corn syrup and continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the pan, level and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature. Once cool, remove brownie from the pan and freeze. If storing for more than 8 hours, wrap the brownie in plastic. Can keep up to 4 weeks, wrapped, in freezer. Place the empty pan back in the freezer to prepare for the next step.

Remove your 8” x 8” pan from the freezer and line with cling film (to ensure clean extraction). Place frozen brownie base in the bottom of the pan.

Split and scrape the vanilla beans, then bring cream, milk and vanilla seeds to a boil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl. Combine a small amount of the milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper before pouring tempered egg mixture back into saucepan to combine with milk-cream mixture. Stir continuously over medium-high heat until the mixture smoothly coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat and strain into a bowl placed over an ice bath. Leave mixture over ice bath until cold.

Once your mixture is cold, fold ½ of the whipped cream into your mixture. When whipped cream is almost completely combined, add the rest of the whipped cream and continue folding until mixture is completely homogeneous. Pour into pan over brownie base and freeze.

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t in direct contact with the water beneath).

Once melted and combined, add safflower oil and whisk until blended. Strain mixture and cool to 35°C (body temperature – if the glaze is too hot it will melt your parfait).

To assemble, unmold the combined parfait and brownie base and place on a cutting board. Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut into 8–2” x 4” bars. Place bars onto a wire rack placed on top of a cookie sheet, leaving at least ½ an inch between each bar, and return to freezer until glaze is cool enough to use.

Using a cup with a spout, pour the glaze over the tops of the bars. Once glazed, return bars to freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.