Chocolate Pistachio Nougat Semifreddo Recipes

CHOCOLATE, PISTACHIO & NOUGAT SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Butter and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with cling film. Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer. Put the sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, then place over the simmering water and whisk until pale, thick and doubled in volume. Remove from the heat, plunge the bottom of the bowl into cold water and continue whisking until the mixture is cool.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave on Low, stir, then fold into the egg mixture. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the chocolate egg mixture with the nougat and pistachios.
• Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, smooth the surface with a spoon, then cover and freeze until firm. This can be done up to 2 weeks ahead. To serve, turn out onto a serving dish, remove the cling film and leave in the fridge for 15 mins to soften slightly before slicing.

PISTACHIO SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Pulse 1 cup pistachios with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add remaining 1/2 cup pistachios and pulse until just coarsely ground.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a little at a time, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Beat cream with almond extract in a wide bowl with mixer at high speed until it just holds soft peaks.
• Fold meringue into cream gently but thoroughly, then fold in nut mixture in same manner. Spoon into a 2-quart dish and freeze, covered, until firm enough to scoop, about 4 hours. Let soften slightly before serving.

RASPBERRY AND PISTACHIO SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Combine egg yolks with 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey in the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat until volume doubles and mixture is pale and creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Beat heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently fold cream into egg yolk mixture.
• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides. Pour mixture into the pan, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Freeze until semifreddo is chilled, about 1 1/2 hour. Remove from freezer and stir in raspberries and pistachio nuts. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Let semifreddo soften in the refrigerator before serving, about 15 minutes. Turn out of the pan and cut into slices.

FROZEN NOUGAT AND CHOCOLATE DESSERT

Steps:

• 1. Use a sturdy chopping knife to cut the nougat into small pieces, then grind it to a granular consistency in the food processor.
• 2. Separate the eggs, keeping only four of the whites.
• 3. Pour the yolks into a mixing bowl, adding all the sugar. Whip them until they form a foamy mass.
• 4. In another bowl, preferably a chilled steel one, whip the cream until it is quite stiff.
• 5. Add the whipped cream, the chocolate bits, the rum, and 1 1/4 cup of the ground nougat to the beaten egg yolks, mixing well to distribute all the ingredients uniformly.
• 6. In a clean bowl, whip the four reserved egg whites together with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold them gently into the egg yolk, cream, chocolate, and nougat batter.
• 7. Sprinkle the remaining pulverized nougat on the inside of the 2-quart bowl and over it pour the dessert's batter. Pull a sheet of plastic film tightly over the bowl and place it in the freezer. It is ready to be served the following day, but it will keep, as I have done, a full week.
• 8. When ready to serve, take the bowl from the freezer and remove the plastic film. Choose a plate with a lip whose inner diameter fits comfortably over the opening of the bowl. Soak a dishtowel in very hot water and wrap it around the bowl. Slide the blade of a long, thin knife inside the bowl to loosen the dessert from its sides. Set the plate upside down over the bowl, hold the bowl and plate firmly together, and give them a good shake. You will feel the dessert come away from the bowl and drop onto the serving plate.