Category: Sweet Treats

Evening ya’ll! This was a scary undertaking…semifreddo…YIKES! I was scared at first that I could not pull this off. I was SO wrong. Looks complicated..lots of steps and patience is a must! But it was really not that hard! This was perfect and had the girls and me eating off the cutting board with forks. I had to share the rest with our lucky neighbors, lest we eat it all in one sitting and maybe regret that sweet chocolate cream in the morning… I saw this on The Chew and just had to make it. Instead of peanuts, I used almonds…

Chocolate Peanut Butter Semifreddo- From Carla Hall on The Chew

Ingredients

Peanut Chocolate Ganache Layer
1 cup Peanuts (toasted; salted; roughly chopped) ***I used sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (about 10 ounces)
3/4 cup Heavy Cream (heated)

Semifreddo
10 Egg Yolks
1 cup Granulated Sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Creamy Whipped Peanut Butter (warmed; avoid natural varieties)
Reserved Chocolate Ganache

Directions

Spray a 5×11″ loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place two 3″ strips of parchment inside the pan so the ends of the parchment overhang the long sides. Lightly spray again with the non-stick cooking spray.

Add 1 cup Peanuts/Almonds (toasted; salted; roughly chopped) Sprinkle in the chopped Peanuts to mostly cover the bottom of the pan.

1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (about 10 ounces)melted on a double broiler

3/4 cup Heavy Cream (heated) Begin to melt the Chocolate in a microwave until mostly melted. Pour in the heated Cream and gently stir to finish melting the Chocolate. Stir until completely blended.

Reserve 1/3 cup Ganache. Then, pour the remaining amount into the pan to cover the Peanuts.

10 Egg Yolks

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt For Semifreddo: In a metal or tempered glass bowl, whisk together the Egg Yolks, 3/4 cup of the Granulated Sugar, Vanilla Bean Paste and Salt until pale. Place the bowl over a sauce pot with 1″ of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the Yolks until doubled in volume and an instant read thermometer reads 160°F. Remove the bowl from the heat and place into an ice bath until mostly chilled, stirring occasionally.

1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar In another large bowl, whip the Cream and remaining Sugar until the Cream holds a stiff peak.

chilled Yolk mixture Fold the Cream into the chilled Yolk mixture, making sure not to over mix.

1/2 cup Creamy Whipped Peanut Butter (warmed; avoid natural varieties)
Reserved Chocolate Ganache Pour the Cream mixture over the Ganache layer. Then pour or dollop the warm Peanut Butter and the reserved Ganache over the Cream mixture. Using a metal spatula or Butter knife, swirl the layers together, making sure to avoid hitting the bottom layer of Ganache.

Cover the entire pan with plastic wrap or foil and place into the freezer for at least 8 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the Semifreddo from the freezer. Remove the plastic wrap or foil and use the parchment paper to lift the Semifreddo out of the pan. Place it Peanut side up on a long platter.

Slice and serve immediately. Pour extra Chocolate Ganache over each slice for garnish (optional).

Helpful Tips:
1. A semifreddo is a dessert that means “half-frozen.”
2. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave so it’s easier to stir.
3. Freeze for 6 to 8 hours until solid.