Make this a semifreddo summer

Similar to ice cream, semifreddo is a little lighter and warmer, originating in the 19th century when the French introduced parfaits to Italy and the Italians put their own twist on this “half-frozen” dessert. This refreshing treat is perfect for summer with its creamy, mousse-like texture that immediately melts in your mouth. And just like ice cream, the flavor possibilities are endless.

Below, some of our favorite pastry chefs in the US have shared recipes for the semifreddi on their menus this summer that you can make at home.

Citrus semifreddo by Margarita Kallas-Lee and Alyssa LaBella of Pasta Bar, Los Angeles and Austin

“At Pasta Bar I serve this kalamansi and passionfruit semifreddo with oak smoked aerated anglaise, candied brioche bread crumbs, burnt oak oil and finished with our Scratch Restaurants private reserve white sturgeon caviar. It was important to me to have a balanced and well rounded bite for the end of the meal. Something familiar and something light. I love the saltiness that the caviar brings to the dish; it’s almost like finishing salt, which I use on almost all desserts. Kalamansi has a bitterness so we balanced it out with passionfruit. Those two citruses break through the butteriness of the semifreddo. The brioche for me was a slight nod to having a little caviar sandwich. I worked closely with Alyssa LaBella, my Chef de Cuisine on perfecting the semifreddo recipe,” says Kallas-Lee.

Serves 10 (4 oz portions)

Ingredients

2.3 cups/543g heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp/0.4g vanilla
1 cup/204g sugar
9.3 yolks (assuming large eggs, approximately 15g per yolk, use 9 yolks and a little extra)
1/2 cup/117g kalamansi puree
1/3 cup/80g passionfruit puree
1/3 tsp/1.7g Salt
Edible flower petals to garnish

Method

1. Whip cream to medium peaks.
2. Measure the sugar, yolks, vanilla, pureed kalamansi, pureed passionfruit, and salt into the bowl of a mixer and whisk together.
3. Set the bowl over a double boiler and whisk, cooking to 170°F/77°C.
4. Once it reaches 170°F/77°C, immediately take it off the double boiler and put the bowl onto the mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until ribbon stage (light color, thick consistency, and also cold to the touch). You can also whip by hand.
5. Strain the egg mixture into the whipped cream and gently fold together.
6. Pipe into molds (make sure your flower petals are already set inside the molds) and freeze overnight.

Grilled corn semifreddo by Thu Nguyen of Coltivare, Houston

“Last year in the Coltivare garden, we were growing our own yellow dent corn, and my goal is always to try to incorporate more items that you would see on a savory dish into a sweet dish. I wanted to put something on a plate that could be eye catching when it leaves the pass, but could also be eaten on a hot summer day that wouldn't be overly sweet,” says Nguyen.

At Coltivare, Nguyen serves this semifreddo with corn crumble, macerated blackberries, basil oil, and candied corn.

Serves 10

Base: part 1

8 cups/2kg heavy cream
5 grilled corn on the cobs

1. Heat up the heavy cream. Shuck the corn and save the kernels (set aside).
2. Steep the corn cobs in the cream on a low med heat until simmer for 10 mins and cool down overnight to infuse the cream.

Dehydrated grilled corn

Take a half sheet tray and lay a silicon pat or parchment paper and dehydrate the saved grilled corn kernels from in the oven at a low temp at 180-200°F/ 82-93°C for 8-10 hrs (even overnight).

Base: part 2

8 cups/2kg infused grilled corn base
6 cups/1.5Kg sugar (divided into 3 parts)
10 whole eggs, separated
1 tsp/5g salt
½ lemon zest
Water

1. Bring water to the boil.
2. While water is coming up to temp, separate the egg yolks and save the egg whites in another bowl.
3. Whisk together egg yolks and 2 cups/500g of sugar in one bowl over a water bath until you can make a number 8 ribbon. Cool down at room temp.
4. Take the remaining egg whites and slowly whip them on med high speed then slowly pour in 2 cups/500g of sugar to get a meringue texture. Set aside.
5. After step 3 and 4 is complete, take the infused grilled corn mixture and whip until med peak.
6. In a large bowl that can hold all ingredients. You are going to fold each mixture into the infused grilled corn until completely combined.
7. Pour into a bread pan or a Pyrex container, plastic wrap it and let it sit in the freezer Overnight until ready to serve.

Corn crumble

1 cup/225g unsalted butter (cold)
1 ½ cup/300g sugar
1 ½ cup/225g all-purpose flour
¼ cup/30g yellow corn flour
¼ cup/30g dehydrated corn
1 tsp/6g kosher salt

1. Take all dry ingredients, place in a food processer and pulse until combined.
2. Slowly add cold unsalted butter until it crumbles.
3. Bake at 325°F/163°C for 15-20 mins until golden brown.

Plating

1. Divide the semifreddo evenly between 10 small rice bowls.
2. Garnish with corn crumble, blackberries, and candied corn.
3. Drizzle basil oil to finish.

Cream cheese semifreddo by Rachel Rathgeb, Husk Nashville

“I love this recipe because of the texture of the semifreddo. I've had many in the past that are just too frozen to make it enjoyable to eat. This one is soft and airy straight from the freezer,” says Rathgeb. “The idea for this dish came from something universally loved during summer in Tennessee—peaches! Peaches then led me to think of peaches and cream, and because I usually like something sour with sweet, the cream cheese came into the picture. The cream cheese adds a nice slight acidity to the sweet peach sherbet in the dish.”

Serves 10 (will fill a 9x13” pan)

Ingredients

Cream cheese mix

1 cup/57g Sugar
1 ⅛ cups/270g cream cheese, room temp

Pâte à bombe

1 cup/57g sugar
¼ cup/50g water
1.5 tsp/4g gelatin
1 tsp/5.7g vanilla
 ⅓ cup/85g egg yolks

Whipped cream

1 ¾ cups/410g heavy cream

Meringue

⅓ cup/95g egg whites
½ cup/105g sugar
1 tsp/5g salt (or to taste)

Method

1. Spray or oil your desired mold (any baking/loaf pan or silicone molds will work) then place parchment along the bottom with extra paper hanging over the edges for easy removal later.
2. Bloom your gelatin and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or using a handheld mixer (can be used for all steps), combine your room temperature cream cheese and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in your egg yolks. Whip them on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes then begin to cook your sugar syrup. Continue to whip them as the syrup cooks. You want them to be pale and fluffy by the time the sugar reaches temperature.
5. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan add in the second measurement of sugar and the water. Cook this mixture to 220°F/104°C.
6. Once the syrup is at temperature, take off the heat, add in the bloomed gelatin and allow to completely melt.
7. Next, pour the syrup into the whipping egg yolks slowly in a stream along the side of the bowl. This helps prevent the syrup from hitting the whisk and being sprayed on the sides of the bowl rather than into the yolks.
8. Allow the mixture to whip on medium speed until it reaches room temperature.
9. Add in the vanilla and mix until combined.
10. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it reaches medium-stiff peaks. Set aside and keep cold.
11. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in your egg whites and begin to whip on medium speed. Once the egg whites are frothy, begin to slowly start incorporating your sugar. As the egg whites whip, sprinkle in about 1 teaspoon at a time until all the sugar is incorporated.
12. Whip this meringue until it reaches stiff peaks and set aside.
13. In a large bowl, start to combine your egg yolk mixture and cream cheese mixture. Do this by adding about 1/3 of the yolks into the cream cheese and folding them in with a spatula until well combined. Continue to add the yolks in two more additions until it a homogeneous mixture is created.
14. Next, add in the whipped cream in the same fashion. Add 1/3 of the mixture and fold in in three additions until completely combined.
15. Next, add the egg whites in the same fashion, Add 1/3 of the egg whites and fold in in three additions until completely combined.
16. Season with salt and mix well.
17. Gently pour the semifreddo into your desired mold. Freeze completely for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight.
18. Once frozen and ready to serve, remove the semifreddo from the freezer. Work fast and run a sharp knife or an offset spatula along the edges of the pan. Using the excess parchment, remove the semifreddo and place onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment.
19. Cut the semifreddo into portions of your choice (cut into squares, triangles, use a cookie cutter, etc.). Then either serve immediately or keep frozen until ready to eat.

Plating at Husk

1. Keep bowls or plates chilled in the freezer about 30 minutes before use.
2. Place portioned semifreddo onto the plate.
3. Add a scoop of peach sherbet on top.
4. Sprinkle generously with granola.
5. Place a few slices of pickled peach and finishing salt as garnish.

Plating at home

1. Keep bowls or plates chilled in the freezer about 30 minutes before use.
2. Place portioned semifreddo onto the plate.
3. Garnish with granola, toasted nuts, or Luxardo cherries would be delicious. Whipped cream and/or fresh fruit would be great as well.