Tangerine Chocolate Semifreddo Recipes

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.

TANGERINE SEMIFREDDO (FROZEN TANGERINE SOUFFLE)

Steps:

• To form a collar, cut a sheet of waxed paper, aluminum foil or parchment that's long enough to fit around a 1qt souffle dish. Fold it in quarters lengthwise to make a ribbon about 3" wide. Wrap the collar around the top of the souffle, and tape the ends together. The collar should extend about 2" above the rim of the dish; secure with tape and/or a rubber band, and place in the freezer to chill.
• Zest the tangerines with a fine grater/microplane to make about 1t zest (or more to taste) and juice the tangerines, until you have 1/2c of juice. In a small saucepan, combine the zest and juice, and warm over low heat. Add gelatin and stir until it dissolves, then add vanilla extract. Place the saucepan in a bowl of cold water until the mixture thickens into a jelly (or place in a bowl of ice water if your kitchen is warm, or if you live in a hot climate). Set aside.
• Bring a small stockpot of water to a simmer. Mix egg yolks & sugar in a medium metal or glass mixing bowl, and place over the simmering water (being careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Immediately start whisking the egg yolks and continue until they are pale, and have approximately doubled in volume. You'll know the sugar has melted when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers, and you don't feel any grit from the sugar.
• When the yolks have doubled in volume, whisk in the thickened, cooled tangerine juice, and continue whisking and scraping until the entire mixture has cooled further (a few minutes). It should be thick and sticky. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks; set aside (I stowed them in the fridge). In a large bowl, beat heavy cream to soft peaks; set aside. Spoon half of the egg whites into the cooled egg yolk mixture, and stir until its color becomes lighter. Add remaining egg whites to the large bowl of whipped cream, and add the tangerine mixture on top. Gently fold them all together to make a uniform mixture.
• Gently spoon the mixture into the chilled souffle dish. It should come about halfway up the paper collar, but if not, it will still taste and look good (my dish was slightly bigger, and it turned out great). Freeze until firm, about 4hrs. If you freeze it overnight, transfer it to the fridge for at least 1hr so it can soften before serving. However, ours froze for six hours, and 20 minutes in the fridge wasn't enough for it to thaw as much as we would have liked (so use your best judgement).
• When ready to serve, if desired, sprinkle with pistachios, and carefully remove the collar. Cut into sectons with a very sharp knife, and carefully remove with a small offset spatula.
• If you make this in advance and it will be in the freezer for more than 4hrs, once it freezes, cover it with plastic wrap and gently press the wrap against the surface of the dish.