Shown here, Semifreddo, champagne with

Chambord and assorted pastries.

This is the most incredible ice cream type dessert I’ve

ever made or eaten.  Checking the overwhelming internet

info on Senifreddo is daunting.   Sometimes I feel like

“the more I know, the more I don’t know”.  It seems fake

news and contradiction is abundant in the food world.

After considerable research this is what I have learned.

The first recorded mentions of Semifreddo are from early

in the 19th century in Italy.  Despite translation

Semifreddo is not half-frozen.  It is not gelato, ice cream,

soft serve, or a frozen “french parfait”.  It is a frozen

dessert somewhere between mousse and ice cream that

will not freeze hard and does not require an ice cream

maker.  It is basically three parts, cooked meringue,

custard (usually infused with liqueur and fruit pulp) and

whipped cream.   It is both a complex and simple dessert

to make.  Each of  the three components are straight

forward, but can be tricky to make.  I’ve made this

simpler by using a hand mixer.  Perhaps it could be

said there is a fourth component, air.  This is important,

so when folding the other three ingredients together it

must be done gently or they could deflate.

Here is my first Semifreddo molded in a loaf pan.

My custard ingredients.

Cooked over simmering water while beating and

scraping down.  Yes! be careful with the electric cord!

Same process to make a Swiss meringue.

I love the shiny marshmallow clouds of Swiss

meringue.  Italian meringue can be used if preferred.

The gently folded mixture.

Loaf style Semifreddo with flavor swirls.

Semifreddo with Duck Eggs, Raspberries

Balsamic Vinegar and Chocolate

• 3 duck eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Chambord
• pulp from 6 oz. fresh dark raspberries
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 & 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam/jelly
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons reduced balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate

Separate the egg yolks and whites.  Leave them

out to come to room temperature.

1.Make Custard.  Simmer 1-2 inches of water.  Fit a

bowl over water, then make sure the water will not touch

the bowl.

• 3 duck egg yolks,
• 2/3 cup sugar and
• 1/3 cup Chambord
• pulp from 6 oz. fresh dark raspberries

Add duck eggs yolks, sugar and Chambord to bowl.  Beat

with mixer, scrapping the sides with a heat proof spatula

simultaneously.  Be mindful of the electric power cord.  It’s

helpful if one person is beating while another is scrapping

the bowl with the spatula.  This is done to keep the eggs

from over cooking.  When mixture sticks to the spatula or

beaters when lifted, has increased in size and thicken it’s

done.  Usually about 5 minutes.  Gently fold raspberry pulp

into mixture.  Chill in refrigerator.

2. Make whip cream.  Beat 1 & 3/4 cup very cold heavy

whipping cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters.

When soft peeks form, it’s done.  Refrigerate until other

ingredients are ready.

3. Make Swiss Meringue.

•   3 duck egg whites
•  1/3 cup sugar,
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
•  1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Simmer 1-2 inches of water.  Fit a bowl over water, then

make sure the water will not touch the bowl.   Add 3 duck

whites, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and

1/4 teaspoon sea salt.  Follow the same process as before.

The whites will nearly double in size and get shiny.

Remove from heat and keep beating a bit for more volume.

With a gentle hand fold all three components together.

The goal here is to keep as much of the air that’s been

whipped in, in the mixture.  Keep chilled.

Mix  1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam or jelly with 1 & 1/2

tablespoons reduced balsamic vinegar (to reduce simmer

3-4 tablespoons until down to half).  Melt 1/2 cup

semi-sweet chocolate.

Prepare a pan to freeze the Semifreddo in, by lining

it on all sides with large plastic wrap overlays.  The

Semifreddo must be encased in the plastic wrap as it

freezes.  When spooning the Semifreddo into pan add

flavor swirls, and designs with the melted chocolate

and jam vinegar mix.  What ever is layed down first will

be on top when finished.  Seal plastic wrap.  Freeze

Semifreddo 3-12 hours.  After freezing open the top layers

of plastic wrap.  Set the Semifreddo upside down on a

serving dish, left the pan away and peel off the

remaining plastic wrap.

Here is Semifreddo enjoyed with champagne, Chambord

and assorted pastries.

Here is loaf style.