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Hazelnut
Chocolate Praline Semi-Freddo Dessert
recipe
and photograph by www.finedinings.com
Serves 8
Praline
(can be made 2 days ahead)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
Butter a large baking sheet. Bring sugar and water to a boil in small saucepan
swirling the pan until mixture turns light brown. Immediately remove from heat, spread thinly on prepared baking
sheet; set aside to cool.
Semi-freddo
(can be made 1 day
ahead)
2-2/3 cup heavy cream
8 teaspoons Amaretto liqueur
8 egg yolks, room temperature
10 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
2 ounces (1/2 cup) Valrhona Chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 ring molds (I use 8 ounce tomato
sauce cans, ends removed)
8 large pieces plastic wrap
Beat cream and liqueur to soft peaks. In another large bowl beat egg yolks and
sugar until pale yellow; fold whipped cream into egg mixture; add hazelnuts, chocolate and cooled
praline. Spoon into ring molds lined with plastic wrap, cover and freeze at least 2 hours.
Crème Fraiche
(can be made 3 days ahead)
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
In saucepan over low heat (85° to 90° to speed up the action) combine sour cream and heavy cream;
transfer to a partially covered container, store at 75° for 6 to 8 hours or until
mixture thickens; stir, cover and refrigerate. When ready to use, whip until thickened slightly; pour into a squirt bottle with a small opening,
(I use a clean plastic catsup or mustard container).
Chocolate Ganache
(can be made 2 weeks ahead)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon corn syrup
6 ounces chocolate, chopped
Combine cream and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat; whisk in
chocolate until melted. Pour into squirt bottle (I use a clean plastic
catsup or mustard container with a small opening); refrigerate. When
ready to use, microwave to soften chocolate.
Chocolate top decoration
(can be made 3 days ahead)
8 ounces bittersweet Valrhona Chocolate***
parchment paper
8 mint springs
In saucepan melt chocolate over low heat; pour into a squeeze bottle and make designs on parchment paper;
freeze. Peel chocolate designs from paper and decorate top of dessert. ***Use only bittersweet chocolate.
Assemble dessert
Squeeze out 2 chocolate ganache semi circles on each plate (see my photograph).
Between the 2 chocolate circles squeeze out 1
row crème fraiche. Use a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife to
make designs through the chocolate and creme fraiche.
Place semi-freddo
from the freezer inside the semi circle of chocolate ganache on the plate, remove ring
molds; add the frozen chocolate top decoration and garnish with mint sprigs.
Wine recommendation: Muscat
see more of my easy
Dessert Recipes
all with photographs
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