Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo Recipes

Steps:

• Combine chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream in a small saucepan over medium until barely simmering. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture and let sit until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until combined and smooth. Chill, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
• Meanwhile, cook sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Clip thermometer to the side of saucepan; increase heat to medium. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook until thermometer registers 250°F.
• Working quickly and with motor running, pour syrup into egg whites in a steady stream, avoiding whisk so syrup doesn't splatter. Beat until glossy, stiff peaks form (be careful not to overbeat).
• Using an electric mixer, beat chilled chocolate mixture until soft peaks form. Gently fold in meringue, leaving a few streaks. Scrape into a large loaf pan and cover. Freeze until solid, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
• Just before serving, let semifreddo sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Beat remaining 1 cup cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Serve scoops of semifreddo in small bowls with whipped cream.

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside. Whip the cream with the rum until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate. In the top of a double boiler, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt. Cook, whisking continually, until the mixture registers 140 degrees on a candy thermometer and remove from heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer and whip on a high speed until the meringue is completely cooled, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the hazelnuts in a heavy baking pan and roast until the skins crack and the nuts are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Rub the nuts in a towel to remove the skins. Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the remaining butter and process until a smooth paste is formed.
• Line a 2-quart loaf pan with plastic wrap. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate and the hazelnut paste. Fold in the whipped cream. Fold in 1/4 of the meringue, then the remainder. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, cover with a plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• To serve, remove the top layer of plastic wrap, invert the loaf pan onto a platter and peel away the remaining plastic wrap. Slice into 1/2-inch slices and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Caramel Corn: Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a large heatproof bowl, sprinkle peanuts over popcorn.
• In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until smooth and combined. Cook until darkened slightly and fragrant, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat; immediately stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to evenly coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake 1 hour. Let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. (Makes 10 cups.)
• Semifreddo: Line the bottom and sides of a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. In a large heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another large heatproof bowl, combine peanut butter and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat; immediately divide cream evenly between bowls. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir each mixture until smooth. Let cool until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Beat constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch (it should feel smooth when rubbed between fingers), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then transfer to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on low speed until foamy. Increase speed to high; continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and bowl no longer feels warm to the touch, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Divide meringue evenly between chocolate and peanut-butter mixtures; gently fold into each until thoroughly combined and no white streaks remain. Transfer half of chocolate mixture to prepared loaf pan; smooth top with an offset spatula. (Refrigerate peanut-butter mixture and remaining chocolate mixture until ready to use.) Freeze until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Pour peanut-butter mixture into pan, smoothing top; freeze 15 minutes. Pour remaining chocolate mixture over peanut-butter mixture and smooth top. Gently fold plastic-wrap overhangs over semifreddo to cover. Freeze until firm, at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
• Remove semifreddo from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Remove plastic from top, flip pan onto a chilled serving platter or cutting board, and lift pan from plastic. Remove plastic and slice semifreddo crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Serve, with caramel corn. Semifreddo can be stored, covered, in freezer up to 3 days.

Steps:

• For semifreddo:
• Spray a 9x4 1/2 x 3" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, leaving a 2" overhang; set aside. Whisk egg whites and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and egg whites are warm (but not hot), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until cool, tripled in volume, and stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. (If egg whites look grainy, you've gone too far.)
• Stir chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over same saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth; remove from heat; let cool slightly.
• Beat cream in another medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form (cream should be soft and pillowy; peaks will just fall onto themselves). Using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into warm chocolate. Fold in whipped cream. (Stop folding as soon as mixture becomes one smooth texture and light brown color.) Scrape semifreddo into prepared pan; smooth top. Cover tightly and freeze until firm, 3-4 hours. DO AHEAD: Semifreddo can be made 5 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped and frozen.
• For chile-chocolate sauce:
• Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and cover. Let steep for 15 minutes.
• Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. Strain milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; return to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Gradually pour milk mixture over chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in tequila, if using. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool completely. Cover and chill. Gently rewarm before continuing.
• Cinnamon whipped cream and assembly:
• Combine cream, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard bean. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form.
• Uncover semifreddo and invert onto a platter. Lift pan and discard plastic wrap. Using a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, cut semifreddo into clean slices. Transfer to plates. Garnish with cinnamon whipped cream and warm chile-chocolate sauce, if desired. Sprinkle almonds over.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast nuts on a baking sheet until pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Pulse the nuts and chocolate in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add 1/3 cup sugar; pulse until combined, about 7 times (do not overprocess; mixture should not form a paste). Set aside.
• Beat cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in the clean bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and remaining 1/3 cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold egg whites into whipped cream; gently fold in nut mixture. Spoon into a glass baking dish; smooth with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap on surface; freeze at least 4 hours.

Steps:

• Place chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt in heatproof bowl.
• Heat 1 1/2 cup heavy cream to just barely simmering. Pour over chocolate and stir until melted. Chill, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Beat egg whites and 1/4 tsp salt until soft peaks form.
• Cook sugar and 1/3 cup water on medium low until sugar dissolves, then medium without stirring until 250 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• While mixer is on, pour hot sugar syrup into egg whites as a thin stream. Beat until glossy with stiff peaks.
• Beat chilled chocolate mixture until soft peaks form.
• Fold in meringue, leaving some streaks of white.
• Place in large loaf pan, cover, and freeze at least 3 hours, up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
• Whip remaining 1 c heavy whipping cream to serve on top.

Steps:

• To make the base for the semifreddo, melt the dark chocolate, cool slightly.
• Pulse the cornflakes and the melted chocolate until combined.
• Spread thinly over the base of 8 flan tins lined with cling wrap.
• Place in fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Melt the milk chocolate and put aside.
• Put egg yolks, Frangelica and 40g sugar in a bowl and place the bowl over a pot of boiling water then whisk until the mixture is light, thick and forms a slowly dissovling ribbon when the whisk is lifted.
• Set aside and cool. Then add the melted milk chocolate.
• While the egg yolk mixture is cooling, whisk egg whites until foamy.
• Slowly add the 75g sugar until they form a stiff meringue.
• Fold the meringue into the cooled chocolate egg mixture.
• Fold in the whipped cream until well incorporated.
• Pour the mixture into the 8 flan tins and freeze for 2-3 hours.
• To unmold lift out using the cling wrap.