Semifreddo with Walnuts

Semifreddo is a popular Italian dessert, which in Slovenian could simply be called ice cream. The dessert is typically made from a cream of cooked egg whites, into which various additions are mixed, such as chocolate, whipped cream, mascarpone, etc. It can be even simpler if the semifreddo is prepared from whole eggs, which are separately whipped, mixed with whipped cream, and the prepared mixture is frozen in the refrigerator. Sounds simple, doesnt it?

Details

  • Preparation Time: 300 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 20 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

Nut praline

  • 85 g Walnuts

  • 115 g Sugar, white

  • 80 ml Water

  • 600 ml Sweet cream

  • 2 piece Egg, fresh

  • 90 g Powdered sugar

  • 2 spoons Alcohol, Coffee liqueur

  • 6 pieces Walnuts

Steps

  1. First, prepare the walnut praline. Roast the walnuts in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Shake the pan several times during roasting to ensure the walnuts are evenly roasted. Transfer the roasted walnuts to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread them out in a single layer.

  2. Place a saucepan with 115 g of sugar and 80 ml of water on the stove. Heat the contents on moderate heat, stirring slowly until all the sugar dissolves. Then increase the heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes until it turns a nice golden brown, then remove the saucepan from the heat.

  3. Carefully pour the hot syrup over the walnuts. Let it sit for 10 to 25 minutes to allow the praline to cool and harden. Break the hardened praline into smaller pieces and grind them into smaller chunks using an electric mixer.

  4. Pour the cream into a bowl and whip it until soft peaks form. Whisk the egg yolks with half of the powdered sugar until frothy. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar while continuously mixing until you get a firm and glossy meringue. Stop mixing once you achieve this.

  5. First, fold the frothy egg yolks into the whipped cream, then gently fold in the egg white meringue in two or three additions. Finally, mix in most of the praline (save some for decoration) and the liqueur.

  6. Prepare six round molds (250 ml each). Line each mold with two pieces of food wrap and fill them with the prepared mixture. Fold the excess wrap over the mixture. Store the molds in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to allow the dessert to freeze well.

  7. Take the frozen dessert out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving and let it sit at room temperature to slightly warm up. Then remove it from the mold, carefully take off the wrap, and serve on a plate. Garnish with walnut kernels and the reserved hazelnut praline, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 388.43 kcal
  • Fat: 19.25 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.18 g
  • Carbohydrates: 44.85 g
    • Sugars: 41.58 g
  • Protein: 6.72 g
  • Fiber: 1.45 g

Advice

Instead of walnut liqueur, you can use hazelnut or chocolate liqueur.