Anatomy of a Dish: Forged Parfait Brûlée

Two iconic dishes. One unexpected combination. Welcome to the sensory delight that is Forged Parfait Brûlée. Before we crack into this dish (pun entirely intended) let's have a little food history lesson on brûlée and parfait.

The classic crème brûlée is one of those dishes that everyone claims to have invented – England had a dish with burnt sugar in the 15th century, Spain has a recipe dating back to medieval times. But it's the French who have it printed in a 1691 edition of Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot who was a cook at the Palace of Versailles, so credit goes to them. Crème brûlée means 'burnt cream' in French, and while it looks like a relatively simple dish, getting that perfectly caremelised top to make that undeniably satisfying cracking sound, is harder than it looks.

And what about parfait? Well, to make matters confusing, parfait can either refer to a dessert (we have the French to thank for this creamy, meringue-like sweet too) or a type of meat paste or pâté (you guessed it; French). In the case of our dish, we are referring to the latter. However, the difference between a pâté and parfait needs to be made clear – the texture of a parfait is more refined and smoother than a pâté.

Now we're armed with the kind of knowledge that will surely help us win our next trivia match, let's delve into the story of our Forged Parfait Brûlée, with its creator, chef and culinary specialist, Adem Kurcan.

Forged: What is the inspiration behind Forged Parfait Brûlée?

Adem: I wanted to show our parfait in an unexpected way, that would add an air of magic to it. Forged Parfait Brûlée looks like a sweet, creamy dessert but in reality, it’s rich and savoury, packed with umami and has the contradicting textures of a crisp sugar crust and the delicate parfait. Notes of sweet, savoury and bitter balance out with the meaty flavour to create an experience unlike anything else.

F: What do you hope people feel when they try it?

A: I want people to feel as excited as a kid on Christmas day, to experience pure joy eating the dish and I’d love it to evoke thoughts around the possibilities of what this new category of food can bring.

F: What is the best way to eat it? On its own or with an accompaniment?

A: It's best eaten as it's served on its own to really experience the flavour.

F: What wine is best paired with it?

A: I asked our friend, Marc Malouf, a wine specialist at I Heart Wine and he suggested Shiraz, and more specifically the 2012 Wendouree Shiraz Mataro.

F: How do you generally go about coming up with ideas for dishes?

A: Each creation is different. I might be walking with the family, waking up in the middle of the night or dining out. Once an idea comes to fruition, I sketch it up, then I try it out in the kitchen.

F: When it comes to food, what inspires you most?

A: Creating the unexpected like Willy Wonka, chef Ryan Clift of Tippling Club or pastry and chocolate chef Amaury Guichon.

F: When do you find you get your best ideas?

A: In the middle of the night is prime time. I could be just about to go to sleep and a wave of ideas will come flooding in.