What does semifreddo mean?
Semifreddo comes from Italian and literally means “half cold” or “half frozen”. The name refers to the unique texture of this dessert: softer and creamier than ice cream, yet deliciously chilled and light.
What is a semifreddo?
A semifreddo is an Italian frozen dessert that looks like ice cream but has a more mousse-like texture. It is luxuriously creamy without ice crystals, and you don’t need an ice cream maker! This ice cream dessert is also popular in France, where it is called a parfait, which literally means perfect, and that is indeed what this dessert is.
How is semifreddo made?
The secret lies in the technique: you beat ingredients full of air until they are light and voluminous, fold everything together carefully, and let it freeze. Put the semifreddo in a cake tin and you can turn it out afterwards and cut it into nice slices.
The plant-based version with aquafaba, raspberry and basil
This special raspberry and basil semifreddo is made plant-based with aquafaba – the miracle ingredient from vegan cuisine. Aquafaba is simply the cooking liquid from chickpeas, that thick, slightly syrupy liquid that you normally throw away from a tin. It is packed with plant-based proteins and starches that, just like proteins from chicken eggs, can be whipped into stiff peaks.
For this semifreddo, whip aquafaba with sugar until glossy, mix in raspberry purée and finely chopped fresh basil, and fold in whipped plant-based cream. After a night in the freezer, you’ll have a pink gem full of fresh flavour: the sweet brightness of raspberries dances with the slightly peppery, aniseed notes of basil. Every spoonful melts like a velvety cloud on your tongue.
See below for step-by-step instructions on how to make this delicious dessert.
Raspberry and basil semifreddo
Equipment
- 1 cake tin, lined with baking paper or plastic wrap or use individual molds
Ingredients
voor de semifreddo
- 200 g frozen raspberries
- 50 g castor sugar
- 10 g fresh basil leaves 1 handje
- 100 gr Aquafaba
- 100 gr castor sugar
- 150 gr whippable plant-based cream
- 4 el almond shavings browned in the oven or in the pan
Instructions
- Cook the raspberries over low heat with 50 g sugar to make a sauce, then leave to cool for approx. 15 minutes.50 g castor sugar, 200 g frozen raspberries
- Take 70 g of the raspberry sauce and set it aside; you will garnish the dessert with it when serving.
- whip the AquaFaba with a hand mixer or stand mixer on the highest setting until foamy, after beating for two minutes, add 1/3 of the 100 g sugar, continue beating and add the rest of the sugar in two portions with an interval of approx. 30 seconds between each addition, continue beating (approx. 5 min.) until you have a firm foam with stiff peaks and all sugar crystals have dissolved.100 gr Aquafaba, 100 gr castor sugar
- Take another bowl and whip the cream until stiff.150 gr whippable plant-based cream
- Now add the aquafaba and raspberry sauce to the whipped cream in the bowl, cut the basil into strips with scissors, add it to the bowl and then fold everything together with a spatula.10 g fresh basil leaves
- Now quickly transfer the mixture to the cake tin, cover with foil and place immediately in the freezer.
- Leave to set for 6 hours (or longer) before serving.
- Remove the semifreddo from the mould and cut into slices. Place a slice on each dessert plate and garnish with some of the raspberry sauce, browned almond flakes and a sprig of basil.
