Dark Chocolate Semifreddo Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Combine chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream in a small saucepan over medium until barely simmering. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture and let sit until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until combined and smooth. Chill, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
• Meanwhile, cook sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Clip thermometer to the side of saucepan; increase heat to medium. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook until thermometer registers 250°F.
• Working quickly and with motor running, pour syrup into egg whites in a steady stream, avoiding whisk so syrup doesn't splatter. Beat until glossy, stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat).
• Using an electric mixer, beat chilled chocolate mixture until soft peaks form. Gently fold in meringue, leaving a few streaks. Scrape into a large loaf pan and cover. Freeze until solid, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
• Just before serving, let semifreddo sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Beat remaining 1 cup cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Serve scoops of semifreddo in small bowls with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing 4 to 5 inches to extend over all sides.
• Stir cookie crumbs and almonds together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Place chopped bittersweet and semisweet chocolate in a large bowl and set a fine wire-mesh strainer over the bowl; set aside.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl until well combined.
• Heat 1/2 cup cream and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly whisk hot cream mixture into egg mixture until completely combined. Return mixture to the saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan, until mixture is slightly thickened and registers 160 to 165 degrees F (70 to 74 degrees C), 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let mixture simmer.
• Immediately pour into the strainer over the chocolate. Discard any solids left in the strainer. Let chocolate mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth; whisk in vanilla and almond extracts. Let stand until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream with an electric stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
• Whisk 1/3 of whipped cream into chocolate mixture until completely combined. Gently fold remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula until incorporated and no streaks of whipped cream remain. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan and smooth evenly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle evenly with cookie crumb mixture.
• Pull excess plastic wrap at sides tightly over cake, gently pressing down on cookie crumb mixture. Freeze, 12 to 24 hours.
• Lift semifreddo from pan, using plastic wrap as handles, and transfer to a serving plate. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut semifreddo into 8 slices, using a serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each slice.

DARK CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments and stir well until melted. Set aside.
• Whip the egg whites in a medium size bowl, until medium-stiff peaks. Whip the cream to soft peaks in another medium sized bowl.
• Whip together the sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl, until pale. Scrape the chocolate into the bowl, and whip for several minutes until the mixture is very thick and smooth.
• Fold in the egg whites and then the cream.
• Scrape the mixture into a cake pan, loaf pan or individual molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.
• To unmold onto a plate, dip the bottom of the mold into hot water and then run a knife around the sides. It should pop out easily.
• Let sit at room temperature (after unmolding) for 15-20 minutes to soften before serving.
• Note 1: If the yolks and chocolate seizes up on you, gently warm it in a bowl over simmering water and then add a bit of the whites and beat the heck out of it.
• Note 2: You can use crushed cookies on the bottom for a crust or leave it plain.

DARK CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Place chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt in heatproof bowl.
• Heat 1 1/2 cup heavy cream to just barely simmering. Pour over chocolate and stir until melted. Chill, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Beat egg whites and 1/4 tsp salt until soft peaks form.
• Cook sugar and 1/3 cup water on medium low until sugar dissolves, then medium without stirring until 250 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• While mixer is on, pour hot sugar syrup into egg whites as a thin stream. Beat until glossy with stiff peaks.
• Beat chilled chocolate mixture until soft peaks form.
• Fold in meringue, leaving some streaks of white.
• Place in large loaf pan, cover, and freeze at least 3 hours, up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
• Whip remaining 1 c heavy whipping cream to serve on top.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside. Whip the cream with the rum until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate. In the top of a double boiler, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt. Cook, whisking continually, until the mixture registers 140 degrees on a candy thermometer and remove from heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer and whip on a high speed until the meringue is completely cooled, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the hazelnuts in a heavy baking pan and roast until the skins crack and the nuts are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Rub the nuts in a towel to remove the skins. Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the remaining butter and process until a smooth paste is formed.
• Line a 2-quart loaf pan with plastic wrap. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate and the hazelnut paste. Fold in the whipped cream. Fold in 1/4 of the meringue, then the remainder. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, cover with a plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• To serve, remove the top layer of plastic wrap, invert the loaf pan onto a platter and peel away the remaining plastic wrap. Slice into 1/2-inch slices and garnish with chocolate shavings.