Description
A festive Christmas semifreddo featuring toasted almonds, walnuts, and golden and regular raisins, infused with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, finished with a smooth whipped cream base for a creamy, frozen dessert perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Semifreddo
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 ml water
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or seeds from 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 40 g almonds
- 40 g walnuts
- 30 g golden raisins, chopped
- 30 g regular raisins, chopped
- 250 ml whipping cream, cold (whip it with 4 tbsp icing sugar if skipping the raisins)
To Garnish
- chopped almonds
- chopped walnuts
- chopped raisins
- icing sugar
Instructions
- Roast Nuts: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the almonds and walnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool, then chop them coarsely.
- Prepare Pan: Line a 22x11 cm bread pan with baking paper cut to size, sticking it in place with a little vegetable oil using kitchen paper for adhesion.
- Beat Egg Yolks: Place the egg yolks in a bowl and start beating on low speed to prevent a dry skin forming on top.
- Make Syrup: In a saucepan, boil the water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils vigorously (no need to thicken).
- Combine Syrup and Yolks: With the mixer on high speed, gradually pour the hot syrup down the side of the egg yolk bowl. Continue beating at high speed until the mixture increases in volume and cools to room temperature.
- Add Spices and Nuts: Fold in ground cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, chopped roasted almonds, walnuts, and chopped raisins gently using a spatula.
- Whip Cream: In a clean bowl, whip the cold cream until foamy and glossy but not fully firm. If you omit raisins, add 4 tbsp icing sugar to the cream before whipping.
- Combine Cream and Yolks: Fold the whipped cream gently into the egg yolk mixture until fully incorporated without deflating.
- Freeze: Pour the semifreddo mixture into the prepared pan. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight until firm.
- Unmold and Garnish: Use the baking paper to lift the semifreddo from the pan, gently unstick the paper from the sides, and return the paper to the pan. Flip the semifreddo over onto the serving dish. If not using paper, dip the pan briefly in warm water and invert onto the dish. Garnish the semifreddo with chopped almonds, walnuts, chopped raisins, and a dusting of icing sugar before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the egg yolk and syrup mixture is fully cooled to room temperature before folding in cream to maintain a light texture.
- Roasting the nuts intensifies their flavor and adds crunch; do not skip this step.
- If skipping raisins, add icing sugar to the whipping cream to maintain sweetness and texture.
- Use fresh vanilla paste or seeds for best aroma; vanilla extract or essence are acceptable substitutes.
- Allow at least 8 hours of freezing for proper semifreddo texture; overnight freezing is recommended.
- Use a spatula with folding motions to keep the mixture airy and prevent deflation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 100 g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
