Bunny Parfaits

Makes 2 parfaits

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and cut into ¼” thick slices

• 1 ½ tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• ¼ confectioner’s sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• Vanilla loaf cake cut into four 1” slices

• 8 small whole strawberries, cleaned and dried 

• ¼ cup shredded coconut

• 2 marshmallows

• Pink sanding sugar

• 4 mini chocolate chips

• 2 pink sugar pearls

Equipment:

• Stand Mixer fitted with a wire whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl and hand mixer

• Piping Bag

• Round tip for piping

• Biscuit cutter (this should be around ½” smaller than the serving glasses you are using.

• Parfait dishes or round juice glasses

Instructions:

1. Macerate strawberries – Place sliced strawberries in a medium size bowl, add water, and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to set until strawberries begin to macerate (about 30 minutes). 

2. Make whipped cream – Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or mixing bowl. Beat the ingredients together, starting on low speed and increasing to high slowly as it begins to firm up. Beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer mixture to a piping bag and set aside.

3. Prepare cake rounds – Place cake slices on a cutting board and cut out four circles. Set aside.

4. Make ears – Using a pair of scissors, cut a full size marshmallow in half diagonally. Dip the sticky surface of each marshmallow portion in pink sanding sugar to coat. Set aside.

5. Assemble parfaits – Arrange a few strawberry slices on the sides of the parfait dishes or glasses. Pour a little strawberry juice into the bottom of each glass. Add a 1” layer of whipped cream. Top with a cake circle and sliced strawberries. Repeat. Top with whipped cream.

6. Form bunny – To create the bunny place a whole strawberry over the center of the whipped cream layer. The strawberry should point upright. Using whipped cream, coat the strawberry in a layer of whipped cream using the piping bag and tip. Next, add two small rounds in front of the large hump. These will be the bunny’s feet.

7. Add details – Sprinkle the bunny and its feet with shredded coconut. Add the bunny’s ears, chocolate chip eyes, and pink candy pearl nose. Slice the tops off four whole strawberries and slice them lengthwise. Insert four strawberry halves flat side facing forward into the back of each parfait to create a fan-like design. Finally, partially slice through two strawberries lengthwise and slip over the front of each parfait dish.