A semifreddo is a delicious Italian dessert consisting of a few simple ingredients. It has the texture of frozen mousse, very similar to ice cream.
For this recipe, you can of course use any nuts or add-ins you prefer, and I have done a strawberry and macadamia semifreddo in the past. Now that spring has sprung and summer is arriving soon in Australia, it is the perfect dessert to cool down in the hot weather.
Roasted Almond Semifreddo
- 4 egg yolks
- 65g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 300g heavy cream
- 130g almonds
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast almonds on a lined baking tray for 8-10 minutes until golden, then coarsely chop. Set aside to cool completely.
- Line a loaf pan with baking paper, ensuring it is large enough to overhang on the sides of the pan (the loaf pan I used is 23cm x 13cm x 6cm).
- Fill a saucepan with water, about 5 cm high, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean paste until light and pale in colour. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, and whisk continuously for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool completely.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold into the egg yolk mixture a third at a time. Fold in the chopped roasted almonds.
- Pour mixture into lined loaf pan, and freeze for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove from the pan and cut into slices (the semifreddo may need to soften at room temperature for 5-10 minutes)