Description
This is rich, smooth, and ultra chocolaty, with great crunch from the cookie crumbs and almonds. This would make a beautiful dessert for special occasions–a chocolate lover’s dream! Serve with whipped cream and chocolate curls or shavings, if desired. Store any leftovers in a freezer, wrapped in plastic wrap.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped
- 1 (4 ounce) bar semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9×5-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.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 13 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 8