Torrone Semifreddo Food

TORRONE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Bring 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Wash down side of pan with a wet pastry brush, and cook until sugar starts to turn golden around edge. Swirl pan, and continue to cook until golden throughout. Remove from heat, and stir in nuts. Pour mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Roughly chop nuts. Nuts can be stored up to 1 week.
• Bring remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil, stirring. Wash down side of pan with a wet pastry brush, and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat together egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Beat until meringue is stiff, glossy, and cool, about 5 minutes.
• Beat together cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into meringue. Fold in remaining whipped cream along with nuts and chocolate.
• Line a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour in mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until hard enough to slice, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. To serve, remove plastic wrap and invert onto a serving platter. Slice with a serrated knife.

SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• In a mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the cream into medium peaks. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the cream and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Turn the cream out into a large bowl. Clean the bowl and whisk attachment. Add the egg yolks and the remaining 1 cup sugar. Whisk until the yolks are pale yellow and tripled in volume. Add the yolks to the whipped cream. Add the almond or vanilla extract and begin to fold the yolks into the cream. Add the pistachios and turn the mixture out into a glass serving dish. Freeze overnight. To serve: Cut the semifreddo into desired size pieces. Place individual pieces in a serving bowl and top with berries and chocolate sauce. Garnish with powdered sugar and a sprig of mint.

COFFEE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Oil and line a 1-litre loaf tin with cling film. Put the coffee, Tia Maria or brandy, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and stir to dissolve the coffee. Put the egg whites in a large bowl and pour the cream in another.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff with an electric whisk, then quickly beat the egg yolk mixture until thick and leaving a trail. Now beat the cream until it holds its shape. If you beat everything in this order, you don't need to wash the whisks in between.
• Fold the cream into the coffee mixture, then carefully fold in the whites. Fold through the Toblerone and tip into the loaf tin. Lightly cover the surface with cling film. When frozen, overwrap in foil and freeze. Will keep for up to 6 weeks. You can make the chocolate curls (see video link, above, for instructions) and keep them in a airtight container or freeze.
• To serve, unwrap and turn onto a platter. Strip off the cling film and serve topped with the chocolate curls.