Toffee and Roasted Almond Semifreddo

, from Issue #52. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Toffee and Roasted Almond Semifreddo

With no churning involved, this wickedly easy dessert will have everyone swooning. I usually make double the toffee sauce and keep it in the fridge to whip up a Banoffee pie or other simple dish.

Serves: 10-12

INGREDIENTS

Semifreddo
1¾ cups cream
4 eggs
¼ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
70 grams sliced almonds, roasted

Toffee sauce
100 grams butter, diced
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cream

METHOD

Fully line a 24 cm square by 6 cm deep tin with plastic wrap, leaving a 3 cm overhang down each side.

Toffee sauce: Put all the ingredients except the cream in a medium saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the cream, taking care as it will bubble up furiously. Place over a low heat and simmer for ten minutes. Cool completely.

Semifreddo: Whisk the cream to soft peaks then chill until ready to use.

Separate the eggs and place in two separate bowls. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks.

Using a large metal spoon, fold a large spoonful of the egg whites into the egg yolks to loosen the mixture then fold in the rest.

Give the cream a quick stir then fold into the egg mixture along with most of the almonds. Set the remaining almonds aside. Tip into the tin.

Set half the toffee sauce aside then dollop spoonfuls of the remaining sauce over the top of the egg mixture. Use a thin skewer to lightly drag the toffee through the mixture to give a marbled effect. Scatter over the reserved almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen.

To serve: Remove the semifreddo from the freezer and leave for a few minutes to soften a little before lifting out of the tin. Place on a platter and serve with the reserved toffee sauce.