Chocolate Macadamia Semifreddo Recipes

CHOCOLATE-MACADAMIA SEMIFREDDO

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.

SEMIFREDDO PROFITEROLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Bring butter, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in flour. Return to medium-high heat; stir with a wooden spoon until batter pulls away from sides of pan, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer batter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Test batter for doneness by dabbing it with your finger; as you pull away, a sticky thread should form. If not, add the egg white 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip, and fill with batter. Pipe 1 1/2-inch diameter rounds 2 inches apart on lined sheet. Gently smooth peaked tops with a moistened fingertip.
• Bake until golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. If not using immediately, store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
• To assemble profiteroles, halve them horizontally, and fill with a 1 1/2-ounce scoop (3 tablespoons) of semifreddo. Top profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE FOR PROFITEROLES WITH CHOCOLATE-MACADAMIA SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Whisk chocolate, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup hot water in a small bowl until smooth.

CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing 4 to 5 inches to extend over all sides.
• Stir cookie crumbs and almonds together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Place chopped bittersweet and semisweet chocolate in a large bowl and set a fine wire-mesh strainer over the bowl; set aside.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl until well combined.
• Heat 1/2 cup cream and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly whisk hot cream mixture into egg mixture until completely combined. Return mixture to the saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan, until mixture is slightly thickened and registers 160 to 165 degrees F (70 to 74 degrees C), 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let mixture simmer.
• Immediately pour into the strainer over the chocolate. Discard any solids left in the strainer. Let chocolate mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth; whisk in vanilla and almond extracts. Let stand until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream with an electric stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
• Whisk 1/3 of whipped cream into chocolate mixture until completely combined. Gently fold remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula until incorporated and no streaks of whipped cream remain. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan and smooth evenly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle evenly with cookie crumb mixture.
• Pull excess plastic wrap at sides tightly over cake, gently pressing down on cookie crumb mixture. Freeze, 12 to 24 hours.
• Lift semifreddo from pan, using plastic wrap as handles, and transfer to a serving plate. Let stand for 15 minutes. Cut semifreddo into 8 slices, using a serrated knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each slice.