Stracciatella Semifreddo

Photo via SBS

When the summer gets hot in Italy, most people think of cooling down with a gelato! It can be tricky to get quality gelato when you're not in la bella paese, but a quick (and easy) at home option is Semifreddo!

Semifreddo, literally meaning half cold, is a frozen treat that you can whip up at home for a simple taste of la dolce vita...even when you're walking distance from the 405 freeway!

We picked this recipe up during our Lucca retreat at our cooking class with Leela from Abbaca-la. ​

Stracciatella Semifreddo di Leela

---

Ingredients:

• 1/2 liter of fresh whipping cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• Small chocolate chips to taste
• A loaf pan or silicone mold, either one large or many small ones for individual semifreddi
• Optional: crumbled biscotti, meringue pieces, cookies, toasted nuts, dried fruit etc. As Leela says, "Use your fantasy!" Gotta love that Ita-nglish! ;)

Recipe:

1. In a chilled bowl (we cool ours down in the freezer in advance), beat the cold cream until stiff peaks form. 
2. In another bowl, beat the sugar with egg yolks until it becomes light yellow and it’s soft like a foam.
3. Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the bowl with the whipped cream. Combine gently by hand and not with a beater. Gently mix in chocolate chips or other toppings, or sprinkle those in the bottom of your molds.
4. Pour the mixture into the mold and freeze! It will usually take an hour or so but it will be slightly stiffer than ice cream when ready.

You can prepare this recipe a few days, or even a few weeks in advance. In this case you have to remember to take it out from the freezer half an hour before serving it to soften it up so you can slice it nicely. Buon appetito!