Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 450 g shelled hazelnuts, whole
- 8 egg, separated
- 266 g sugar
- 120 ml water
- 480 ml heavy cream, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 379 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 44 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 127 mg
- Potassium
- 255 mg
- Calcium
- 66 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Phosphorus
- 148 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 164 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 45 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Transfer the warm hazelnuts to a clean dish towel and rub them together to remove the skins.
Place the peeled, cooled hazelnuts in a food processor and grind until fine.
Whisk the egg yolks, 152g of sugar, and water in a saucepan over low heat until the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F).
Whip the chilled heavy cream in a bowl until soft peaks form, then add 57g of sugar and whip until firm peaks form.
In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the remaining 57g of sugar and whip until firm peaks form.
Gently stir the ground hazelnuts into the cooked egg yolk mixture.
Carefully fold the whipped cream into the hazelnut and yolk mixture.
Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the mixture until just combined.
Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove the semifreddo from the freezer 30 minutes before serving to soften slightly.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the egg yolk mixture has cooled slightly before folding in the cream to prevent melting.
Storage
Freezer: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight container to prevent ice crystal formation.
Troubleshooting
Egg yolk mixture is lumpy or curdled
Cause: Heat was too high or mixture was not stirred constantly
Fix: Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps
Prevention: Use a very low heat or a double boiler and whisk without stopping
Cultural Context
Semifreddo, meaning 'half-cold' in Italian, is a delightful frozen dessert that strikes a balance between ice cream and mousse. Originating from Italy, it showcases the country's rich tradition of elegant, yet relatively simple, desserts that often highlight high-quality ingredients.
