Almond Praline Semifreddo With Grappa Poached Apricots Recipes

ALMOND PRALINE SEMIFREDDO WITH GRAPPA-POACHED APRICOTS

Steps:

• For semifreddo:
• Line a lightly oiled 8 1/2-by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• Cook 1/3 cup sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel.
• Stir in almonds to coat and scrape onto baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. Pulse in a food processor until praline is finely ground (do not grind to a paste).
• Beat eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in a 2-quart metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water using a handheld electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until mixture is cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Stir in extract.
• With cleaned beaters, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold about one third of whipped cream into egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining cream and all but 1 tablespoon praline gently but thoroughly (reserve 1 tablespoon praline for garnish). Spoon into loaf pan and freeze, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours.
• Poach apricots:
• Bring water, sugar, and zest to a simmer in a 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Simmer 5 minutes. Add grappa and return to a simmer. Toss apricots with lemon juice, then put, cut sides down, in grappa syrup and simmer 5 minutes. Turn apricots over and simmer until just tender, 1 to 3 minutes more.
• Transfer apricots with a slotted spoon to a 13-by 9-inch dish, arranging them in 1 layer. Boil syrup in skillet until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes, and pour over apricots. Cool to room temperature.
• Uncover semifreddo and invert onto a chilled platter, using plastic wrap to help pull it from mold. Sprinkle reserved praline on top. Slice semifreddo crosswise and serve with apricots and syrup.

PRALINE SEMI-FREDDO

Steps:

• Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean by scoring down the length and scraping the seeds out of each half.
• Whisk the vanilla seeds and sugar with the egg yolks in a large bowl until pale. In a second bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form. (Important! Please don't overwhip it.) Then in the third bowl whisk or beat the egg whites with an electric mixer with a pinch of salt until they form very firm peaks (this is when you can pull the egg whites in any direction and they will stay like it).
• At this point add the praline, the cream and egg whites, to the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold in.
• Immediately scoop the contents into your chosen container. Cover wtih plastic wrap and freeze until you're ready to eat it.
• Roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 225C/425F/Gas 7 until golden (about 4 minutes). Really watch them, because if you over-roast them they go bitter and you can't use them.
• Put the sugar and water in a thick-bottomed pan and place on a medium to high heat. The mixture will start to bubble and then turn into a clear syrup.
• To begin with, it will gradually start to color in parts or from the sides. Gently and carefully shake the pan, just moving it to mix the patches of color.
• When it's all golden brown, carefully tip it away from you and gently add the nuts. Turn the heat down to a simmer and gently stir to coat the nuts in caramel.
• When the caramel is dark golden brown, turn it out on to a clean, lightly oiled tray, or on to greaseproof paper on a surface that won't burn. It will cool to a flattish solid sheet.
• When completely cooled (which takes about 20 minutes), smash it up roughly and pulse it in a food processor until the pieces are still quite chunky (very approximate size about 1/2 cm/ 1/4-inch).
• Remove about half the praline, then pulse the rest to a powder (or put it in a tea-towel and bash with a rolling-pin), and add both lots of praline to the semi-freddo mixture.

ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• 1 Line a 9 × 5 × 3-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the ends. Chill the pan in the freezer. At least 20 minutes before you are ready to whip the cream, place a large bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer in the refrigerator. 2 When ready, remove the bowl and beaters from the refrigerator. Pour the cream and vanilla into the bowl and whip the cream at high speed until it holds its shape softly when the beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Return the bowl to the refrigerator. 3 In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. 4 In a large mixer bowl, beat the eggs with the mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Slowly beat the hot sugar syrup into the eggs in a thin stream. Continue beating until the mixture is very light and fluffy and feels cool to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. 5 With a flexible spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs and chopped almonds. 6 Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover securely with the plastic wrap and freeze 4 hours up to overnight. 7 Unwrap the pan. Invert a serving plate on top of the pan. Holding the plate and pan together, invert them both. Lift off the pan and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. 8 Cut into slices and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• 1 Line a 9 × 5 × 3-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the ends. Chill the pan in the freezer. At least 20 minutes before you are ready to whip the cream, place a large bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer in the refrigerator. 2 When ready, remove the bowl and beaters from the refrigerator. Pour the cream and vanilla into the bowl and whip the cream at high speed until it holds its shape softly when the beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Return the bowl to the refrigerator. 3 In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. 4 In a large mixer bowl, beat the eggs with the mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Slowly beat the hot sugar syrup into the eggs in a thin stream. Continue beating until the mixture is very light and fluffy and feels cool to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. 5 With a flexible spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs and chopped almonds. 6 Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover securely with the plastic wrap and freeze 4 hours up to overnight. 7 Unwrap the pan. Invert a serving plate on top of the pan. Holding the plate and pan together, invert them both. Lift off the pan and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds. 8 Cut into slices and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ALMOND PRALINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet, and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
• Butter a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Spread toasted almonds in an even layer on pan. Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, brushing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Once sugar is dissolved, cook without stirring until sugar is deep amber. Add lemon juice; immediately pour over almonds, coating with a thin layer. If caramel doesn't cover all the nuts, tilt pan slightly to distribute, or stir in nuts with a wooden spoon, being careful not to touch caramel or hot pan. Cool completely. Gently twist pan to release praline. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.