Almond and Amaretti Semifreddo

17/11/2023

The almond and amaretti semifreddo is a delicate spoon dessert with a pleasant crunchiness thanks to the presence of amaretti biscuits. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

250 ml of fresh cream for whipping
100 g of amaretti biscuits
80 g of powdered sugar
50 g of blanched almonds
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons of amaretto liqueur (optional)
Whole almonds or almond flakes for decoration (optional)

Preparation

Start by lightly toasting the blanched almonds in a non-stick pan until they are golden brown, then let them cool and chop them coarsely.
Crumble the amaretti biscuits, leaving some whole for the final decoration.
In a small saucepan, whip the egg yolks with the powdered sugar, using an electric whisk until you obtain a light and frothy cream.
If you want to add the amaretto liqueur, incorporate it into the egg yolk and sugar cream.
Place the cream over heat and cook in a double boiler, stirring continuously until it thickens slightly. It’s important not to let it boil to prevent it from setting. Once ready, remove the cream from the heat and let it cool completely.
In the meantime, whip the very cold cream until it has a firm consistency.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled egg yolk cream.
Add the chopped almonds and crumbled amaretti biscuits to the mixture, stirring with motions from the bottom up to not deflate the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a plum cake mold lined with cling film or into a dessert goblet, then level the surface and cover with more whole amaretti biscuits.
Put the semifreddo in the freezer for at least 4 hours until it sets.
Before serving, let the dessert sit at room temperature for a few minutes to facilitate slicing. Decorate with whole almonds or almond flakes.

For an all-Italian variation, you could also add some chopped pistachios for a touch of color and extra flavor.

Curiosity

The semifreddo, literally “half cold” in Italian, is a traditional preparation that resembles ice cream but does not need to be churned in an ice cream maker, making it more accessible for home preparation.