Now please don’t send the dessert police round if this is not really an authentic semifreddo. I’ve just looked at the Wikipedia definition and it seems like it should have ice cream mixed in with the whipped cream. Oh dear, Chica taking shortcuts again.
Regular readers of this blog will probably have already noticed that I don’t post a huge number of dessert recipes. Mainly because I’m not very sweet toothed, and secondly because Big Man and I don’t really need to be eating too many naughty treats and generally stick to fruit and yogurt at the end of a meal.
But sometimes, yes sometimes, life calls for pudding and with some new pals round recently for supper, this was such an occasion. Obviously, after a long day of house renovation, I needed a meal which I could prepare in advance so that I could relax and enjoy the food and company.
The main course was Pollo Cacciatore, made the day before. Dessert was made the evening before, inspired by part of a programme presented by Nigella Lawson. I missed the detail of the recipe, so this is my version and it worked out perfectly. I am my own Domestic Goddess.
Ingredients (serves 6-8….well 4-6 in my house)
- 600ml of double or whipping cream
- 100g of your favourite chocolate which you need to put into the fridge for an hour or so
- 2-3 tablespoons of amaretto (or your favourite liqueur)
- 4 ready-made meringue nests (or you could be a complete Domestic God or Goddess and make your own)
- A loaf tin or plastic ice cream tub lined with cling film
Beat the cream until is softly whipped (but not stiff). Finely chop the cold chocolate and add it to the cream with the liqueur then crumble in the meringue (break it up into small pieces). Mix gently with a large spoon until combined and then spoon it into your container. Cover with cling film and freeze until you are ready to serve. Take it out of the freezer a few minutes before you want to eat and slice it (I found it easiest with a bread knife) into portions.
I served mine with fresh raspberries, a raspberry coulis (made with one cup of raspberries and half a cup of icing sugar, cooked then sieved) and some flaked almonds. It’s not the most beautiful photo in the world, I apologise, but it was taken as I served it up after an evening of food and wine conviviality, at about 10pm in an underlit kitchen.
Easy, delicious and very little effort. Perfect!
Chica Andaluza 
Looks scrumptious to me! In my house it is difficult to photograph food! LOL Kevin drives me crazy when I tell him to just give me a second to take some photos! My recipe club friends want photos! 😀
Hello Mere Frsot – am just off to read your guest blog at Celia’s site 🙂 Photos can be a huge problem for us as we eat really late 😦
p.s. Your Pollo Cacciatore is a keeper too! I raise my own chickens and always looking for something interesting like this!
Ooh, you too, we raise chickens in Spain as well – such a difference in taste!
I’m sure you are a domestic goddess – I definitely prefer your recipes to Nigella’s 😉
Ah thanks Mad Dog – I think Big Man has a secret crush on Nigella though as he tells me her rather enjoys her programmes 😉
I think she has that effect on some men, but I find her a bit too sincere and she adds a pound of sugar to absolutely everything. I prefer savoury girls. She is very good, of course, with pudding 😉
I think she smiles too much…(is that possible) and she “tumbles” things into bowls, and “dribbles” things over….it’s all a bit silly 😉 But at least she’s a girl with a few curves on her which I can only celebrate!
Yeah…my husband is the same. Only it’s not a secret crush. Sigh.
I think there’s something wrong with your instructions, btw. Shouldn’t it read “hide in a corner with a spoon until your guests have left and you’ve polished off the lot on your own”? Surely that’s what you meant to say?
Damn, I missed that last bit off the instructions 🙂 And yes, Big Man is actually not so subtle about his “secret crush” – he seems to have taken to watching her programme almost as much as the sports ones!
That is a work of art – and looks so scrumptious. You are, indeed, a domestic goddess. PS – Adore Nigella. 🙂
Ah, thank you Shanna – am feeling all warm and glowy now 🙂
🙂 mmm, semifreddo!
Smiled at your comment about fruit and yogurt ’cause that about sums me up 🙂 ! But that dessert does look scrumptious and would have gone so well after the ‘innocent’ chicken that I just may copy when sweet-tooth friends ring the doorbell!!
Well, fruit and yogurt is good for us and it tastes pretty good too 🙂 The whole menu was perfect for when pals came round as it was all done ahead.
Your recipe is perfect!
Blush 😉
A pudding!!? It looks amazing. I’m a sucker for meringue!
I know, I almost shocked Big Man with a pudding – it was a good one and I too love meringue. Need to make my own again next though, although ready made was fine in this dessert.
That might make an appearance at Thanksgiving this year…sounds amazing!
It would be a good one for a family meal with all the food you have to prepare – one little job ticked off the list in advance!
I wish I was more disciplined like you two and stayed with the fruit and yogurt. This sounds wonderful, even with the short cut.
Yes, but you don’t realise that we’ve eaten portions for two adult elephants as our main course so just can’t fit much else in 😉
If I was eating the food you made, I would have two elephant size portions just for myself. I’m not a good sharer
Sometimes it’s good not to share 😉
this sounds an easy yet impressive pudding, will be making this very soon
You’ve inspired me with the suggestion of honeycomb – I’ll be trying that next!
Looks pretty sexy to me….I wouldn’t bother cooking from Wikipedia. Definitions taste very dusty:)
They do taste dusty – much better to do our own versions!
lol..I love your comment about being your own Domestic Goddess! Yes, indeed you are! Honestly, I rarely follow a recipe and make so many tweaks that I wouldn’t blink an eye if your recipe was not authentic! I think it sounds divine and I love making things ahead of time. From that photo, I want to grab a spoon and dig in!
Ah, thanks Linda – I think we’re all little gods and goddesses in our own kitchens and to our loved ones 🙂
Divine! If you were in need of a little treat this was definitely the way to go, but Not often!! Decadent!! Hope all is well with your house renovating, it is like a job for you now isn’t it. Love love c
Yes, a decadent treat for special occasions! And yes, it does seem to have turned into a “proper” job now 🙂
Who cares if it isn’t ‘authentic’ when it looks like that! I am probably going to short out the keyboard with drool if I look any longer.
Sending napkins over right now….!
As long as it tastes good, does it matter what it’s called?! 😉
Hear hear!
OH yes! Looks divine 🙂
🙂
Yes, please, *now*!!!!!
Coming right up!
A great dessert, Tanya! Love that you have to make it in advance, It would be perfect for the holiday dinners coming our way. I think that’s why Mom prepared Zuppa Inglese for the holidays. She had to make it the day before, leaving her free to concentrate on the rest of the dinner on the big day. I bet she would have switched to your semifreddo had she been aware of it. 🙂
Ah Zuppa Inglese – now you’re talking 🙂 I always think that if you can get starters and desserts prepared ahead you can focus on the (hot) main course on the big day and still enjoy time with friends and family!
I didn’t know there was a semifreddo police, lol, but I think yours looks fabulous! I would love to have a slice right about now and it’s only 7:30 am here:) xx
I think the semifreddo police also transfer to other duties when necessary 😉 And dessert for breakfast is always a good idea!
I am sold! I haven’t ever heard of mixing icecream into a semifreddo, I thought it was just everything mixed up and just frozen rather than churned and mucked about with and you delivered a perfect one. I bet your guests didn’t say “oh my LORD she forgot the icecream!” and boycott it ;). You can consider yourself the new Nigella…the old one needs to head off for some R&R and a bit of time to chart herself a new direction after recent events methinks and who better to fill in for her while she is away? Someone who won’t hog the sweet limelight when she wants to come back methinks…you are PERFECT! Consider yourself the Domestic Goddess version of a substitute teacher…that makes you Jack Black to his flatmate Ned Schneibley (if you don’t know what I am talking about take out “School of Rock” right now and watch it with the Big Man, you won’t regret it 😉 ).
I hadn’t heard of ice cream in semifreddo either but when I read the definition I thought I was just being a bit dim 😦 The guests didn’t boycott it, in fact they helped polish it off so that I wouldn’t have to deal with any messy leftovers how good were they to me?! And yes, School of Rock…brilliant….:)
Domestic Goddess indeed! Ice cream or not, that dessert looks splendid Chica! LOVE it!
Ah thank you!
Hi! Your semifreddo recipe was nominated as one of the “Best 300 Semifreddo Recipes on the Net”. To vote for it, please visit http://easyitalianrecipes.org/dessert-recipes/best-300-italian-semifreddo-recipes-on-the-net-vote-for-your-favorite/ – your recipe is positioned at #219 (random order).
wow ….. this will be a very special menu