Semifreddo all'Amaretto

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-by-5-inch loaf pan
• •Large heatproof bowl for zabaglione
• •Saucepan for double boiler
• •Handheld electric mixer or balloon whisk
• •Large rubber spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on all sides. Press the plastic into the corners as smoothly as possible. Small wrinkles are acceptable and will leave faint marks on the finished semifreddo. This is not a flaw. It shows the dessert was made by hand.

2. 2

   Crush the amaretti

   Place the amaretti cookies in a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan. You want a mixture of fine crumbs and larger pieces, some as big as a small pea. The texture variation matters. Set aside.

   Seek out proper amaretti di Saronno or similar dry, crunchy Italian amaretti. The soft, chewy cookies sold in American bakeries will not work. They will become gummy in the frozen dessert.
3. 3

   Make the zabaglione base

   Fill a saucepan with two inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer. In a large heatproof bowl that will sit over the pan without touching the water, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Set the bowl over the simmering water. Beat continuously with a whisk or handheld electric mixer. At first the mixture will be thick and grainy. After 8 to 10 minutes of constant beating, it will become pale yellow, tripled in volume, and thick enough to fall from the whisk in heavy ribbons that hold their shape for a few seconds before dissolving. This is the consistency you need.

   If you stop whisking, even briefly, the eggs will scramble where they touch the hot bowl. Keep the whisk moving. If you see tiny lumps forming at the edges, the heat is too high. Reduce it immediately.
4. 4

   Cool the base

   Remove the bowl from the heat. Add the amaretto liqueur and vanilla extract, whisking to incorporate. Continue whisking occasionally as the mixture cools to room temperature, about 10 minutes. You can set the bowl over a larger bowl of ice water to speed this, but the zabaglione must be completely cool before proceeding. Warm zabaglione will deflate the whipped cream.

5. 5

   Whip the cream

   In a separate large bowl, combine the cold heavy cream and salt. Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat until the cream holds soft peaks. It should mound gently when you lift the whisk but not stand stiffly. Overwhipped cream will make grainy semifreddo. Stop before you think you should.

6. 6

   Fold everything together

   Add about one-quarter of the whipped cream to the cooled zabaglione and fold gently with a large rubber spatula to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining cream in two additions, folding after each until no white streaks remain. Fold in the crushed amaretti. Work gently. You have spent effort building air into this mixture. Do not knock it out now.

7. 7

   Freeze

   Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the surface to cover completely. Freeze until firm throughout, at least 6 hours or overnight. The semifreddo will keep, well wrapped, for up to two weeks.

8. 8

   Unmold and serve

   Remove the semifreddo from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. This brief rest at room temperature allows the texture to soften slightly, from frozen solid to the characteristic 'half-frozen' consistency that gives the dessert its name. Unwrap the top, invert the pan onto a serving plate, and peel away the plastic. Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts. Scatter additional crushed amaretti over each slice.

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your amaretto liqueur matters. Disaronno is traditional and reliable. Avoid anything labeled 'almond flavoring' or artificially sweetened.
• •For a more intense almond flavor, add one-eighth teaspoon of pure almond extract to the cooled zabaglione. This is optional but transforms the dessert for true almond devotees.
• •Semifreddo slices beautifully when properly frozen. If it crumbles, it was not frozen long enough. If it is rock-hard and icy, it has been in the freezer too long or at too cold a temperature. The ideal is firm but yielding, like very cold butter.
• •You may drizzle a tablespoon of amaretto over each slice just before serving. The alcohol prevents it from freezing, so it remains liquid and pools around the semifreddo like a sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •Semifreddo must be made at least 6 hours before serving, making it ideal for entertaining. The recipe practically demands advance preparation.
• •Well wrapped in plastic and then aluminum foil, semifreddo keeps in the freezer for two weeks without loss of quality.
• •Crush the amaretti up to three days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 95g)