A bit of work, this recipe, but well worth it!! There are a number of variations--Vanilla Semifreddo with Almonds and Amaretti, and Chocolate Orange Semifreddo . Good luck with it!! Enjoy..
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbls. sugar
- 2 Tbls. instant espresso dissolved in 1 Tbls. warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup almond or hazelnut biscotti, crushed into split-pea-sized bits
Directions
Line a six cup loaf pan with plastic wrap with a 3-inch overhang all around;place in freezer.
Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment;set aside. Whip cream to soft peaks at medium speed;cover and refrigerate.
Mix 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a 1 Qt. saucepan. Warm mixture over low heat without stirring until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, simmer mixture toward its final temperature of 238 degrees. When sugar syrup reaches 210 degrees, begin beating egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 40 seconds. Add 1 tsp. of remaining sugar and increase speed to high; beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining 5 teaspoons sugar. Decrease speed to medium-high; pour 238 degree syrup into whites in thin, steady stream (avoid hitting rotating beater and sides of bowl);continue beating until mixture is glossy, doubled in volume, and cooled to room temperature, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in coffee mixture and vanilla.
Gently stir in one-third of whipped cream with rubber spatula; fold in remaining whipped cream and 6 Tbls. biscotti bits. Scrape mixture into prepated pan, spreading evenly with rubber spatula. Fold overhanging plastic wrap over mixture and press gently onto surface; freeze until firm, at least 8 hours (can be frozen up to 1 month).
To unmold, remove plastic wrap from surface and invert loaf pan on to serving plate, then remove plastic wrap; smooth surface with spatula if desired. Sprinkle with remaining biscotti bits; slice and serve immediately.
When whipping cream during hot weather, you'll get best results if you chill bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 20 minutes first. In this recipe, try to coordinate the sugar syrup reaching 238 degrees and the egg whites reaching soft peaks stage. Don't despair if they are out of sync. Beating the whites can be interupted just before they reach soft peaks, and resumed at any point. If the syrup heats beyond 238 degrees, you can cool it by adding a small amount of cold water; one tablespoon should cool the syrup by 7 degrees, and you can add as many as four Tbls. if need be
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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: My Files
Submitted By: Eileen Werth
crzylegs@erols.com
Cappuccino Semifreddo with almond Biscotti