Parfait vs. Trifle — What's the Difference?

Parfait (, also UK: , French: [paʁfɛ] (listen); meaning "perfect") is either of two types of dessert. In France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create a custard-like puree.

Trifle is a dessert found in British and other cuisines. Made with fruit, a thin layer of sponge fingers commonly soaked in sherry or another fortified wine, and custard, the contents of a trifle are highly variable; many varieties exist, some forgoing fruit entirely and instead using other ingredients, such as chocolate, coffee or vanilla.

A dessert made of cream, eggs, sugar, and flavoring frozen together and served in a tall glass.

A thing of little value or importance

A sweet dish usually made of ice cream, yogurt, or other creamy food layered with fruit, granola, nuts, or other ingredients, often served in a tall glass.

A cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream

A French parfait (parfait glacé), an iced dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, cream, and flavouring (usually fruit), sometimes with the addition of a liqueur.

Treat without seriousness or respect

An American parfait, a layered dessert often consisting of fruit, ice cream, pastries, whipped topping, etc. and served in a glass, often a parfait glass.

Talk or act frivolously

(UK) A smooth pâté, usually made from liver and flavoured with liqueurs.

Something of little importance or value.

Layers of ice cream and syrup and whipped cream

A small amount; a jot.

A dessert typically consisting of plain or sponge cake soaked in sherry, rum, or brandy and topped with layers of jam or jelly, custard, and whipped cream.

A moderately hard variety of pewter.

Trifles Utensils made from this variety of pewter.

To treat flippantly or without seriousness; play or toy

(Archaic) To act or speak with little seriousness or purpose; jest.

To waste (time or money, for example).

An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.

Anything that is of little importance or worth.

An insignificant amount of money.

A very small amount (of something).

A particular kind of pewter.

(uncountable) Utensils made from this particular kind of pewter.

(intransitive) To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.

(intransitive) To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.

(intransitive) To inconsequentially toy with something.

(transitive) To squander or waste.

To make a trifle of, to make trivial.

A thing of very little value or importance; a paltry, or trivial, affair.

A dish composed of sweetmeats, fruits, cake, wine, etc., with syllabub poured over it.

To act or talk without seriousness, gravity, weight, or dignity; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or trivial amusements.

To make of no importance; to treat as a trifle.

To spend in vanity; to fritter away; to waste; as, to trifle away money.

Jam-spread sponge cake soaked in wine served with custard sauce

A detail that is considered insignificant

Something of small importance

Waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently

Act frivolously

Consider not very seriously;