Easy Chocolate Semifreddo

Chocolate semifreddo garnished with frozen cherries and mint leaves.

This Chocolate Semifreddo Recipe is a semi-frozen ice cream cake that is elegantly infused with rich dark chocolate that is sure to impress any crowd!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword semifreddo

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Chilling Time 8

Total Time 8 25

Servings serves

Calories 336kcal

Author Samantha Pickthall

Ingredients

Semifreddo

180 g dark chocolate bar/block, broken into squares
3 large egg yolks
1 large whole egg
3/4 cup golden or white caster sugar, superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
400 ml heavy cream, or thickened cream

Garnish

1 cup Frozen or fresh cherries, pitted
Fresh mint leaves, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Pan: Line a 9 inch x 5 inch (22cm x 12cm) rectangle baking tin with two layers of cling film, leaving extra to hang over the sides.
Double Boiler Setup: Use a small-medium size heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water as a double boiler.
Melt Chocolate: Add broken up chocolate to the bowl, place it over the saucepan and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove and set aside to cool.
Combine Egg Ingredients: In a large heat-proof mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar and vanilla.
Heat Over Water: Using the same double-boiler method & saucepan as the chocolate, place the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. The water must be simmering.
Beat Mixture: Using an electric beater on low speed, beat the egg mixture for 4-5 minutes, while it’s in the double boiler, until the mixture has doubled in volume and is thick, pale, and leaves a trail after you lift the beaters up. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, turn off the heat and set aside.
Whip Cream: In a separate mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream to firm peaks, about 4 minutes on medium-high speed. Use clean whisk attachments or wash the ones you used for the egg mixture.
Fold in Chocolate: Gently fold the cooled melted chocolate into the whipped egg mixture, do this gently to avoid losing too much volume. Note: You may find some tiny bits of where the chocolate has turned solid, this is ok, more texture!
Add Cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate egg mixture until well combined and no pockets of cream remain.
Transfer to Tin & Cover: Pour the mixture into the plastic lined tin, smoothing the top. Fold over the overhanging cling film or add new cling film to cover the semifreddo.
Set in Freezer: Freeze for 6-8 hours or ideally overnight. The semifreddo will be set but not completely hard.
Unmold: Remove the semifreddo by inverting the pan onto a platter and peeling away the cling film.
Garnish: Top with cherries and fresh mint. Slice, serve and enjoy! Tip: If too solid, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Store: In an airtight freezer-safe container, in the freezer, for up to 2 weeks. Thaw slightly at room temperature before serving if it’s too firm to slice.

Make Ahead: Prepare the semifreddo as directed, and once set, invert it from the tin into an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 5 days before serving.

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