Chocolate Semifreddo Cake
Semifreddo literally means half-frozen, it is an ice cream-like frozen dessert that is so easy to make that it requires no ice cream machine or special equipment whatsoever!
Today, I will be sharing how to make a fabulous chocolate semifreddo that I’ll be pairing with a decadent flourless chocolate cake and a raspberry coulis for a rich yet balanced dessert that happens to be gluten-free!
I know all of that sounds fancy and over-the-top, but the basic concept for this dessert is very simple; it’s just chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, and raspberry sauce, that’s it!
This is a dessert that you can eat in a white tablecloth setting or even as a beachside treat. However you wish to eat this semifreddo, you can guarantee that it will look stunning and taste delicious!
Chocolate Semifreddo with Chocolate Cake and Raspberry Coulis
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Intermediate
For the Semifreddo:
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of milk chocolate
5 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla paste
Large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of chocolate-hazelnut spread (optional)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
For the Flourless Chocolate Cake:
2/3 cup of dark chocolate
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup of sugar
A pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup of hazelnut meal (see note)
For the Raspberry Coulis:
2 cups of raspberries
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Note: To make hazelnut meal, pulse 1 cup of hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
First, make the semifreddo. Line six 3-inch ramekins with plastic wrap with some overhang over each ramekin. You’ll see why later.
Whip the heavy cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a separate bowl, then chill in the fridge while you make the rest of the base.
Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave at 15-30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until fully melted. Set aside.
(This method for melting chocolate is not only easier than using a double boiler, but you don’t run the risk of getting a bit of water into the chocolate, which can cause the chocolate to seize and never melt, but that's just me.)
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks, vanilla paste, salt, and chocolate-hazelnut spread (if using) for about 4 minutes on medium speed, or until the yolks are pale and very thick.
(If you lift up the whisk, then the yolks should fall in ribbons.)
In a small pot, bring the sugar and water to a boil, then, with the mixer running, slowly drizzle the hot sugar water into the egg yolks until combined. Doing this will cook the yolks and ensure that the semifreddo won’t set up rock hard from freezing.
Once all of the sugar water is added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken and cool.
Add the melted milk chocolate and beat on medium speed until fully combined.
Turn the mixer off, then fold in the whipped cream until fully combined, it should look more like loose chocolate mousse.
Whipping the cream before adding it to the semifreddo base will eliminate the need to churn it in an ice cream machine, so it’ll still have a light texture.
Divide the mixture among the ramekins, then freeze for about 4 hours or up to overnight, until firm.
(Alternatively, you could pour all of the semifreddo base into a large container, freeze that, and scoop it like you would scoop ice cream.)
While the semifreddo freezes, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and then grease a 9x13 baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
Melt the dark chocolate the same way as the milk chocolate from before, in the microwave at 15-30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until fully melted. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt at medium speed until pale and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat between each addition. Then drizzle in the melted chocolate and beat until combined.
Add the hazelnut meal and mix on low until combined.
(Since there’s no flour in this cake, you don’t have to worry about overmixing the batter, so you can get it nice and smooth easier.)
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric whisk until they achieve stiff peaks.
Mix about a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the cake batter to loosen, then add the remaining whites and gently fold until the batter is smooth.
Spread the cake batter in the pan (It’ll be quite thick, so be patient) and bake for 17-21 minutes, or until mostly set. It’s not going to be super fluffy like a classic cake with flour, but it is going to be fudgy and delicious, almost like a brownie.
Leave the cake in the pan to cool for at least 20 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut the cake into 6 circles. The cake is going to be very delicate, so be careful with cutting.
While the cake is baking, make the raspberry coulis. Coulis is just a fancy word for a berry sauce, think of it like a thin jelly.
Place the raspberries, vinegar, lemon zest and juice into a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then cook until the berries start to break down.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, and salt until combined. Add that to the pot, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the raspberries are very soft.
Pass through a strainer into a bowl, using a stiff spoon or spatula to press out all of the liquid, then leave to cool. Discard the seeds and skins.
This can also be made the day before you want to serve it. This coulis is going to be quite tart, but that’s needed to balance the sweetness and the richness of the chocolate cake and the semifreddo.
Alright, things are about to get a little fancy, but just go with me!
Rub your hands on the ramekins containing the semifreddo, letting the heat from your hands warm the semifreddo slightly, then use the plastic wrap to pull the mounds of semifreddo out of each ramekin.
(See why we lined the ramekins with plastic wrap now? Aren’t I just clever?)
Lay a circle of cake onto each semifreddo, then invert that onto small plates, making sure you remove the plastic wrap before serving.
Either drizzle the coulis on top, serve it on the side, or use it to decorate the plate.
What you get is deep, rich chocolate flavor, a bit of nuttiness from the hazelnuts, an incredibly light cake that melts in your mouth like fudge, and that tart coulis to balance everything out, and with this dessert, you’ll feel like you’re at a high-end restaurant in Italy when you haven’t even left your kitchen!
