Cherry Semifreddo
Semifreddo literally translates to a cold dessert, one that is served at -15 ° C, containing a percentage of sugar of approximately 23-25%, contained in the pasteurised meringue, with the addition of whipped cream and flavouring paste such as hazelnut, pistachio, chocolate, or fruit puree.
Italian meringue, brings sugar and air and allows us to have a sweet, light dessert designed for easy portioning even in frozen form.
The dessert’s structure is given by a precise balance of sugars, liquids and fats as in the case of ice cream contains ZERO gelling agents.
Black Forest Popsicle Dessert
Cherry Semifreddo
Ingredients (8 popsicles):
150g Cherry puree
140g Italian Meringue
190g Double cream
Italian Meringue
Ingredients:
25g Sugar
60g Egg Whites
100g Sugar
30g Water
Making the Italian meringue:
In a small saucepan, combine 100g sugar and 30g water and cook until sugar syrup registers 118C.
Meanwhile, combine egg whites and 25g of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set mixer to medium speed and mix until soft peaks form (when lifted, the head of the mixer should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves), about 2 minutes.
With the mixer running, carefully and slowly drizzle in hot sugar syrup. Increase speed to high and whip until desired stiffness is achieved.
Making the cherry semifreddo:
Whip the cream and mix until soft peaks form, add the cherry puree, then add the meringue and fold the mix, gently.
Place the semifreddo mix in a piping bag, and pipe in popsicle moulds, and freeze.
Chocolate Coating
Ingredients:
1 Cup (100g) Dark chocolate
1 tsp Coconut oil
Add all ingredients to a double boiler and melt over medium heat. Once liquefied, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Dip half way the frozen Popsicle, and put back in the freezer.
Kirsch Cherry Gel
Ingredients:
200g Cherry puree
40g Kirsch liquor
20g Sugar
2g Agar agar
Combine the ingredients in a stainless steel pot and whisk to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes and pour into a sprayed shallow pan to cool. This will set up hard, cool for 2 hours. Then blend till smooth.
Chocolate ganache
Ingredients:
50g 100% Madagascar Dark Chocolate Cocoa Amore
120g Double cream
Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
Mix well with a spatula then very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted.
Let it sit at room temperature to cool and thicken. It will fully cool within 2 hours. Then pour in a piping bag.
Cocoa sponge
Ingredients:
120g Caster sugar
4 Whole eggs
100g Cake flour
30g Cocoa powder
5g Baking powder
70g Vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C, Butter and flour a 20 cm (8 inch) pan, or spray it with baking spray. Put the eggs and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat the eggs until very fluffy and pale yellow (about 15 minutes on medium/high speed). Add the oil and mix.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder on top of the egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a spatula, from bottom to top.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Don't smooth the top or bang the pan on the counter; leave it as it is!
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Don't open the oven for the first 20 minutes!) Cool at room temperature.
Assembly:
Cut 3 cherries and soak them in kirsch for about 20 minutes.
Place a spoon of cherry gel in the plate and spread with a spoon creating a line.
Start decorating the plate with piping the chocolate ganache and arranging a piece of cocoa sponge, around the cherry gel.
Finish with placing the popsicle on the sponge, and decorate the plate with cherry soaked in kirsch, crumbled sponge and baby mint.
Finally add a chocolate tree to the plate to complete the dish.
Enjoy.