Semifreddo
I rarely seem to be able to get the Woolworths magazine but yesterday my sister did and as I flicked through the pages I came across this rather luscious looking ice-cream. Well no it's not an ice-cream it's a semi-freddo - which means half cold. Not sure why as it is definitely cold. The semi is more about the texture I think. It's not quite as hard as ice-cream can be.
Anyway the picture is of a very exotic salted coconut and mango semifreddo and if you surf the net you will come across an amazing variety of exotic, semi-exotic and relatively plain versions of the semifreddo. And Coles is in on the act too because their latest magazine edition had two -
Now I have never made a semifreddo and it's a hot day, so I thought I would dip into the subject but it's been a bit harder than you might think. Try as I might I cannot find an origin story. I am absolutely convinced that this is a relatively new thing. My Italy the Beautiful Cookbook has no reference to it at all and neither does Jamie Oliver - he doesn't have a single semifreddo recipe on his website. Claudia Roden, however, has three recipes in her book on Italy, two of which come from the Veneto which sounds a likely place of origin somehow. And yet most Italian restaurants have at least one semifreddo on the menu these days. I don't think they used to. It was either gelato or granita. And I think gelato is just the Italian word for ice-cream.
So why is a semi-freddo different? Well it all seems to be something to do with air. And it's not made with a cooked custard.
"Instead of chilling a spinning custard base, semifreddo gets air bubbles whipped into it and then is frozen stationary. To make a semifreddo, air is whipped into heavy cream, then another foam is made by beating air into an egg and cooked sugar mixture. After these mixtures are folded together, this airy amalgamation is placed in the freezer to set. Once frozen, the semifreddo has an ice-cold mousse like texture with a smooth creamy consistency." Rebecca Reed - Edible Northeast Florida
You don't need an ice-cream machine, or you don't need to keep stirring your freezing mixture. And you don't need to make an actual custard. It sounds a lot easier.
"this time I would do as an Italian would. This is a good rule of thumb and one I use when I hit a cooking obstacle. An Italian wouldn’t overthink it, which is why I think the other recipes failed. If an Italian wanted to make a frozen confection, they’d make a semifreddo. The flavours aren’t mucked about with and the ingredient list is simple. You don’t need much skill, just a mixer with a whisk really. But be warned, you will sully a few bowls while making this."
Apologies - I now can't find the origin of the above quote but it does sum up the simplicity - and the washing up. Because you need three bowls - or is it four? You whip your cream. Then you whip your egg yolks with sugar in another bowl, and the whites in yet another, and mix your flavourings in yet another. Fold the cream into the yolks, then the whites into that and the flavours into that. Simple - just keep it light and airy. Airy seems to be the thing. Really to my mind it's a sort of frozen mousse. I saw some people say a frozen soufflé or meringue but I don't think it is quite.
And then the other significant thing is that you seem to freeze it in a lined loaf tin and you don't stir it whilst it's freezing. Then you turn it out and slice it. And of course you can have a sauce to go with it, or fruit, or anything else you fancy.
So there you go. Simple - I must try.
