Chocolate Semifreddo

custard
#1

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I like to put this in the freezer 30-60 mins before eating so that it semi freezes but you can use it as a hot or cold custard too. I can only get single cream (30% fat) here so that is what I used. I would make it with double if I was in the UK I think.

This recipe makes 3 generous or 4 smaller portions.

250ml cream
3 egg yolks
2.5 tsp Truvia
40g 95% chocolate (adjust if using lower or higher %)
tiny pinch of salt
pinch of vanilla pod powder (you can omit this)

Microwaveable tallish container
Stick blender

Put the cream, chocolate, sweetener, vanilla, and salt in a jug and microwave for approx 1.5 minutes on high or until just at boiling point. Mix well with a stick blender.
Add the egg yolks and blend again.
Put back in the microwave for repeated short bursts of about 20 seconds for about a minute. Blend well between each burst.
NB. The timing is going to vary depending on your microwave. Of course you can do it in a pan on the stove also but this way is super quick and easy.

Cool and put in ramekins. Put them in the freezer about 30-60 minutes before you want to eat them. My perfect mix is frozen around the edge but still quite liquid in the centre.

Enjoy!

Net carbs - 11 for total mix
This is going to rather depend on the cream you use. Mine came in at 8g total/net. I have allowed 0.5g per egg yolk as data seems varied. You will have to alter also depending on the chocolate you use - this was for 95%.

How to use lots of eggs
(G. Andrew Duthie) #2

If you wanted to increase the fat content, might it work to add some mascarpone cheese (my new favorite thing)?

Last night, I made a chocolate mousse with a big dollop (1-1/2 to 2 tbsp) of mascarpone, and several ounces of HWC, with truvia and some vanilla SF syrup, and a tablespoon of cocoa. Mixed that up with the stick mixer, and instead of getting thick whipped cream, I got a real mousse consistency, which would probably be even better semi-frozen.

Maybe next time I’ll add some egg yolks, too. Yum!

#3

Good idea. I can get mascarpone so I will try with that in the mix next time. I do actually use a combo of the cream and mascarpone whipped up with a little vanilla as a double cream replacement so I should have thought of that!

(G. Andrew Duthie) #4

That, or sour cream, though that would give it a little different flavor.

The sour cream we get from Wegmans here (the store brand organic) is SUPER thick, so it can serve to thicken up sauces or cream stuff a lot more readily than normal sour cream.

Since I’ve got HWC and sour cream, and mascarpone, maybe I’ll whip up two batches side-by-side, and compare the flavors.

Where do you get vanilla pods or vanilla pod powder? I usually end up using sugar free vanilla syrup, since I find sometimes that vanilla extract can leave a little bitterness.

#5

Unfortunately, the mascarpone I get is only 35% so not a huge difference.

Vanilla - I don’t like essence. I also find it bitter (I think we are probably talking about the same thing?) The only flavour I find truly yummy is real vanilla. It is just so much more subtle and, well real I guess. I used to just scrape out the seeds but started leaving the remaining pods to steep in milk when I was experimenting with vanilla ice cream. Then I thought, why not blitz it up to get the max out of them. They still have a lot of flavour to give up so I feel it is a waste just to use the seeds as the pods can be expensive. The powder I have never seen before today. It says it is dried pods so I am assuming the whole thing but could just be the pods that have been dried and blitzed. I would imagine it is made with the inferior pods at best but still, I prefer it to extract. I thought it would be useful as a flavour layer in something like this chocolate one where the vanilla was not the star. I might try it in the vanilla on another batch though to see how it stands up. Overall, I have to say the vanilla one is my favourite but I have always been a vanilla ice cream girl too although not many come up to standard.

#6

UK double cream comes in at 50% and clotted at about 63%. Single is only 19% so I guess the stuff I get here is somewhere between the two at 30%. Interestingly, UK mascarpone is 44% so 10% more fat than here although maybe that is just the brand.