White Chocolate Toasted Almond Semifreddo Food

WHITE-CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Combine egg yolks, sugar, and amaretto in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture is pale and thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Place bowl in ice water until mixture has cooled slightly. Press plastic wrap directly over the surface, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the white chocolate, then the chilled yolk mixture.
• Spoon mixture into one 4-by-2-inch baking ring set on a parchment-lined baking sheet or two 6-ounce ramekins, filling them to the rim. Smooth surface. Cover, and freeze until set, about 2 hours (or up to overnight).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until skins have split, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then rub with a damp towel to remove skins. Coarsely chop.
• If using a ring, run a knife around edge to loosen, and unmold. If using ramekins, do not unmold. Sprinkle with hazelnuts just before serving.

TOASTED ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• It is easier to use a handheld mixer for this but a sturdy wire whip or ballon whisk can definitely be used with good results. Make sure that if doing so, enough time is allowed for the eggs and sugar to expand voluminously.
• Put the egg yolks into a large glass or metal bowl. Add the sugar, do not ever allow raw egg yolks to sit with sugar on them, without being whisked immediately.
• Stir in the corn syrup, liqueur, and salt. Beat well. Put over a bowl of lightly simmering water.
• Beat for seven or eight minutes, or until light and well increased in volume.
• Remove from heat. Continue beating to room temperature. No longer use the mixer. Fold in the 1/2 cup almonds. Set aside.
• Whip the cold cream with vanilla until rather stiff, but not butter. Fold into the almond mixture until very little, or no white remains.
• Put into a 13x9 inch glass or china baking dish. Freeze at least four hours, covered with plastic film.
• Scoop servings into chilled bowls and top each with some of the remaining almonds and chopped chocolate.

RHUBARB LEMON CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Make filling:
• In a heavy saucepan cook rhubarb with sugar over moderate heat, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes, or until rhubarb is a thick purée (about 1 1/2 cups). In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Add gelatin to rhubarb and stir over low heat 1 minute, or until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer filling to a metal bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and stir occasionally until cooled and thickened.
• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a greased jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch, with foil. Grease foil and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, zest, and vanilla until thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted.
• In a large bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites with salt until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar gradually and beat whites until they hold stiff peaks.
• Stir one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten it and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Sift flour and cornstarch over batter and fold in until batter is just combined.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 6 to 9 minutes, or until cake is lightly colored and springs back when pressed lightly.
• Dust a kitchen towel generously with confectioners' sugar and invert cake onto it. Remove foil carefully from cake. Starting with a long side, roll up cake loosely and gently in the towel and cool 30 minutes.
• Make lemon syrup:
• In a very small saucepan bring all ingredients to simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Keep syrup warm.
• Assemble cake:
• Unroll cake carefully and brush with half of the warm syrup. Spread cake with filling and reroll cake carefully. Transfer cake to a platter, seam side down, and brush with remaining syrup. Chill roll, covered loosely, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Make lemon glaze:
• In a small bowl stir together sugar and lemon juice to make a pourable glaze.
• Transfer glaze to a small resealable plastic bag and snip one corner to make a small hole. Trim ends of cake diagonally and squeeze glaze decoratively over cake.
• Serve cake, sliced crosswise, with White Chocolate Toasted Almond Semifreddo.

ALMOND WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line 8" square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of paan; set aside.
• Microwave chocolate and milk in large microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted.
• Add almonds, cranberries and orange peel, stir until well blended.
• Spread chocolate mixture into prepared pan.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
• Lift fudge from pan, using foil handles.
• Cut into 48 pieces.
• Store in tightly (air-tight) covered container in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

WHITE CHOCOLATE TOASTED ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line a metal loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on ends, and chill in freezer.
• In a skillet cook almonds with salt in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until almonds are coated well, about 1 minute. Chill almonds until cold.
• In a metal bowl set over a pan of hot but not simmering water melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, and remove bowl from heat.
• In another metal bowl beat eggs with sugar to combine. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat until thick and pale and mixture registers 140°F. on an instant-read thermometer. Continue beating over simmering water 3 minutes (for egg safely) and remove from heat. Beat in chocolate, vanilla, and almond extract.
• In another bowl beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold into egg mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold in almonds and pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover pan with plastic wrap and freeze semifreddo 8 hours or overnight.
• Unmold semifreddo onto a platter, discarding plastic wrap, and cut into thick slices. Cut slices crosswise into thirds and serve with Lemon Rhubarb Cake Roll.

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.

WHITE CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Place the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip attachment, and whip on high speed until very light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate; set aside. Place the cream in a large bowl and whisk just until the cream starts to thicken, then gently fold in the egg yolk mixture and the candied ginger. Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip attachment, and whip on high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the egg yolk mixture. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and freeze for at least 2 hours. Scoop and serve with fresh berries and mint sprigs.