Layered Rum and Coffee Parfait

This iced indulgence is ready to serve straight from the freezer and needs no softening time, making it the ideal sweet treat to have on standby for 11th-hour entertaining.

Hands-on time 20min, plus (overnight) freezing. Serves 10

◆ 75g (3oz) amaretti biscuits

◆ 3 medium egg whites

◆ 150g (5oz) caster sugar

◆ 1tsp vanilla extract

◆ 150g (5oz) mascarpone

◆ 150ml (¼ pint) double cream

◆ 1½tsp instant espresso/coffee powder

◆ 1tbsp dark rum

◆ Caramel dessert sauce, to serve

1 Dampen a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with a little water and line with clingfilm, making sure there is an overhang at edges. Whiz 50g (2oz) amaretti biscuits in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Set aside.

2 Put egg whites into a medium bowl and beat with a handheld electric whisk until forming stiff peaks. Gradually add sugar, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and glossy. Set aside.

3 In a separate large bowl, whisk vanilla extract and mascarpone together briefly until smooth, then add cream and whisk until mixture holds its shape. Stir a large spoonful of the egg whites into the cream mixture to loosen, then, using a large metal spoon, fold in remaining egg whites.

4 In a clean bowl, stir the espresso/coffee powder with 1½tsp warm water to dissolve coffee. Tip a third of the parfait mixture into the coffee bowl and fold gently to combine. Add rum to the unflavoured parfait bowl and fold gently to combine.

5 Spoon half the rum parfait into the lined tin and level. Scatter over half the amaretti crumbs. Spread over coffee parfait and scatter over remaining crumbs, then finish with the remaining rum parfait, levelling it.

6 Wrap the whole tin in clingfilm and freeze until it is solid – at least 6hr or preferably overnight.

7 To serve, roughly crush remaining amaretti biscuits. Unwrap tin to expose the surface of the loaf. Dip bottom of tin in cold water for a few seconds to loosen, then dry. Invert parfait on to a serving plate and carefully remove tin and clingfilm. Scatter crushed biscuits

over the top, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve in slices. PER SERVING (without caramel sauce) 239cals, 2g protein, 16g fat (10g saturates), 21g carbs (21g total sugars), 0g fibre

To freeze Make to end of step 5, up to 1 month ahead. Complete recipe to serve.