I also have another problem. Gosh are you impatient with me yet? All ice cream has lecithin to make it creamy so that is the other problem. So now I have challenged myself to make my own. While checking out the blogs I found just what I was looking for – semifreddo, but now another problem raw egg whites. (I understand that eggs have lecithin, but I don’t seem to be effected by them.) So my next worry do we trust that they are ok to eat raw? I don’t have my own chickens so I am captive to the integrity of the markets. So I was delighted to find an alternative to the raw egg white that is an ingredient in semifreddo.
While checking out one of my favorite blog sites acommunaltable.com Nancy made this Chocolate and Dulce De Leche Semifreddo. It sounded so good, but now I could not find my stash of special lecithin-free chocolate that I purchased at Henri’s. So I decided to make coffee semifreddo. I used Nancy’s recipe – sort of, or a least her technique. What is really great about this semifreddo is that the egg whites are tempered to 140 degrees before you whipped them into a fluff much like Italian buttercream. So with this method it eliminates that raw egg fear. Yeah!
So from all the problems and fears and issues, and my lost misplaced chocolate I found the most delicious dessert you could hope for. It is beautiful. It keeps it the freezer for unexpected company. I love this recipe. I would encourage you to try and make this dessert. It just exceeds all my expectations.
Oh, in my part of the country the middle of May is prime strawberry time so I am calendaring a redo with strawberries.
Note* I found my chocolate in the back of the pantry, but now who cares.
If there is anyone out there with this weird problem like mine, Bakers make a chocolate that has nothing in it – no sugar – no fat – no lecithin, and I use it when I can. You can also find lecithin-free chocolate occasionally at Trader Joe’s, and Henri’s (now called Sprouts) at times.
Coffee Semifreddo
Ingredients
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons Kuhlua
2 teaspoons of instant coffee espresso
1 1/2 Tbsp. dark rum
Instructions
If serving as a sliced dessert, line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a metal bowl over a pan of water (don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl) or in the top of a double boiler.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 140 degrees. Do not let it go further or you will have eggwhite omelet.
Transfer mixture to the bowl of a mixer and with the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until the meringue is cool.
In a cold bowl with cold beaters, combine the rum and espresso and the cold cream. Whip the mixture until soft peaks form. (You do not have to use the rum, but alcohol keeps ice cream from getting icy.) Do not over-beat cream or you will get butter.
Fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the meringue to lighten, and then carefully fold in the remainder of the cream into the meringue. Be gentle – try not to deflate your mixture. Scrape the semifreddo into the prepared loaf pan or into a individual ramekins. Cover securely with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove plastic wrap and slice into an appropriate portion.
Nancy’s Notes:
Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook. Traditionally, this is made in a loaf pan and served as a slice. You can serve it that way or place the semifreddo in a container and serve as you would ice cream or you can pour it into your serving dishes and freeze them!
Please visit Nancy’s site for other great recipes. Her site is full of great things to cook. She is just wonderful. Just don’t forget to come back.
Thank you Nancy for the great recipe: thank L. for the gift of the Kuhlua.
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