Roasted Plum Parfait With White Chocolate

This plum parfait is a light summer treat, made with layers of roasted plums and creamy white chocolate mousse. No sugar added, sweetened only with honey. The recipe is simple; you can whip it up in minutes, but it looks (and tastes) like a classy little dessert with a homemade soul.

Juicy roasted plums and white chocolate in a parfait

The end of summer marks a time when nature paints everything a little blue. Not exactly blue, mind you, but plum blue. It’s that time of the year when plums pile up on the counter and basically beg you to bake something with them. Plum cheesecake, plum strudel, buckwheat plum upside-down cake, you name it, I’m in. And yes, I hoard jars of homemade plum jam like a squirrel prepping for winter, just so I can keep baking those plum jam-filled cookies all year long.

This year, though, I wanted something lighter, and plum parfait came to mind. The recipes on the blog have been getting healthier lately, but this parfait? Full-on indulgent little cheat treat! Smooth layers of white chocolate mousse made with cream cheese and whipped cream, with honey-drizzled roasted plums tucked in between. Naturally gluten-free, light on the stomach, but oh so mouth-wateringly sweet.

And it’s stupidly easy to make. Half the recipe is roasting the plums in the oven; the other half (which you can do in between) is whipping up the mousse. Doesn’t take long, and you end up with a genuinely unique sweet ending to almost any summer dinner. Right beside our beloved Bosnian poached apples, this plum parfait has earned a decent spot as one of the best end-of-summer desserts. Funny how we all seem to need a little chocolate to brace for the colder days ahead, don’t we?

Ingredient notes

FRESH PLUMS – The riper, the sweeter your parfait will be. Keep in mind that plums continue ripening after the harvest. If you don’t have plums at hand, figs, pears, even apples will happily step in for this recipe.

HONEY – Adds a lovely aroma alongside the plums and nicely thickens the sauce. But since there’s already chocolate in the mix and the parfait is sweet enough on its own, feel free to skip it. Still just as tasty, but the roasted plum layer ends up a bit runnier. You can also swap it for brown sugar if that’s what you have.

CREAM CHEESE – Makes the chocolate mousse creamy and fluffy, and adds a little freshness to balance the sweetness.

WHITE CHOCOLATE – We go with chunks (cheaper, no shame in that), but chocolate chips will melt down quicker if you’re short on patience.

HEAVY CREAM – Look for at least 38% milk fat. This is what makes the mousse layer smooth, fluffy, and downright irresistible. If you want it a little lighter, Greek yogurt is a good swap.

NUTS – Totally optional, but a few crushed nuts on top add a little nice crunch. We used pecans left over from a biscotti recipe. Granola or crushed cookies work, too.

How to make a delicious plum parfait

PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE LAYER

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Melted white chocolate needs a bit of chilling to firm back up, just enough to tuck the plums in between, so I’d start with that first. In a hurry? Go roast the plums first (see step 5). If not, start by whipping the heavy cream to stiff peaks.

STEP 2: Next, melt the chocolate. I like using a double boiler (bain-marie) here so it doesn’t scorch at the bottom of the pot. Let it cool down slightly before moving on, but keep it runny.

STEP 3: Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then mix in the chocolate. Grab a hand mixer for this, and no, you don’t need to wash it in between; that leftover cream is welcome there. Mix thoroughly so the chocolate fully infuses the cream cheese, then let it cool a bit; this part matters.

STEP 4: Now gently fold in the whipped heavy cream, no mixer this time, just a spatula or spoon. This is what gives the chocolate layer its fluff, so go easy with your folding. Pop the mix in the fridge while the plums roast (or the freezer, to speed things up a little).

ROAST THE PLUMS

STEP 5: Wash the plums, remove the pits, and slice them in half or pull them apart. Lay them on a shallow baking tray and drizzle with honey; this helps the juice thicken up nicely once cooled.

STEP 6: Transfer to the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through so they cook evenly.

STEP 7: How roasted you like them is up to you, but you’ll know they’re ready when the juice and honey start to thicken into something syrupy. That’s what gives the parfait its extra indulgence.

CREATE BEAUTIFUL PLUM PARFAIT CUPS

STEP 8: Let the plums cool to room temperature (yep, the freezer trick works here too if you’re impatient). Then start filling your parfait cups: a layer of plums, a layer of that creamy chocolate mix; repeat until you reach the top.

STEP 9: Chill in the fridge for an hour before serving so the layers can set. When you’re ready to serve, just top with fresh plum halves and a sprinkle of crushed nuts or cookies. Or let your inner creative child run wild with it 🙂

Some tips worth remembering

Make it ahead. Quick to make, sure, but this parfait actually tastes better the day after. The flavors fuse perfectly, and the layers set even firmer with a longer chill. Decorate before serving.

The honey makes the sauce thicker. Skip it, and the juice stays runny, meaning it can leak through the chocolate layer. It also does a nice job sweetening up underripe plums.

Watch the plums, not the clock. Ovens vary, plums vary, thirty minutes is just a guideline. You want the juice thick and glossy, not watery.

Swap the plums. Pears or figs drizzled with honey pair just as beautifully with white chocolate as plums do. Use whatever you have at hand and can survive the oven.

Save the extra mousse. It’s fantastic on its own, with a handful of crushed nuts, or eaten straight from the bowl. Also tastes super delicious when stirred into coffee or other desserts.

How long does this plum parfait keep

Good news, this parfait keeps quite well in the fridge. Once the layers have set, cover the cups (or wrap the whole tray) and they’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days. If anything, that first overnight chill only makes it taste better.

Oh, and don’t rush to decorate the cups before serving!

Still hungry for plums?

Loved this plum parfait? Take a second and leave a star ★ rating; my ego (and my very judgmental dog) will thank you! We’d love to hear in the comments how yours turned out!

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