Attention all dessert lovers: stock up on the ingredients for this recipe, close the blinds, and then make two of these confections. You’ll want to hide one in the freezer so that you can surreptitiously slice off a bit when your sweet tooth strikes. Once that’s taken care of, throw open the drapes and call in the family to share the other one because this recipe strikes gold: the layers of naturally sweet corn, gooey caramel, crisp honeycomb candy… all resting atop the gingerbread crust… will dazzle and please all concerned.
What is a Semifreddo?
Semifreddo quite literally means “half-cold” or “half-frozen” in Italian. It is a luxurious, frozen dessert that’s usually uniquely smooth and creamy all without an ice cream machine. It’s sort os like a frozen mousse or very soft ice cream. Its characteristic lightness comes from the whipped cream and whipped egg yolks which are fold together before freezing. Our innovative Sweet Corn Semifreddo recipe embraces this elegant Italian tradition, transforming the unexpected sweetness of pureed corn kernels, rich cream, and a balanced touch of sugar into a refreshing treat for the season.
Sweet Corn Semifreddo
Description
Turning this vegetable into dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cream
- 4 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels, pureed with a little water
For the gingersnap pie crust:
- 1 bag store-bought gingersnaps (food-processed is fine)
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 tbsp flour
For the honeycomb candy:
- 40 g honey
- 1/3 cup corn syrup or glucose
- 200 g sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp water
- 1 tbsp baking soda, sifted
For the caramel drizzle:
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup cream
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Whip cream until soft peaks form and set aside in the refrigerator.
- Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water; bring water to a boil. Rest a metal bowl on the rim of the pot.
- Combine egg yolks with ½ cup sugar and whisk in the bowl, tempering yolks until thick and lighter in color, about double in volume. Remove from heat. Cover with plastic and set aside.
- In another metal bowl, combine ¼ cup of sugar with whites and whisk over simmering water until light and fluffy; whisk until thick and silky, about 5 minutes or less. Set aside to cool.
- Gently fold corn puree with whipped cream until combined and set aside; gently fold egg yolk and white mixtures together until combined; add both mixtures folding gently until combined.
- Pour over pie crust and freeze at least overnight or 3 days ahead before serving.
- Add garnishes before serving and allow semifreddo to sit at room temperature at least 10-15 minutes before serving; option to serve crust as a topping instead if no pie mold is available: just bake like streusel and use as topping.
For the gingersnap pie crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until combined, like coarse sand.
- Press onto pie mold or tart pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set; let cool and set before using. Refrigerate or freeze for at least 30 minutes.
For the honeycomb candy:
- Combine all ingredients except baking soda and bring to a boil; reduce to simmer and cook until sugar caramelizes to light golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in baking soda; be careful as it will quickly fizz out and bubble, so work fast to transfer onto a prepared tray.
- Let cool and break when cold. Store in airtight containers.
For the caramel drizzle:
- Combine sugar and water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a steady bubble. Do not mix but swirl gently if needed and adjust position of the pot. Cook until caramelized and deep golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.
- Add butter until melted; be careful as it will rapidly boil and could overflow or burn; keep whisking and add cream until combined.
- Remove from heat and whisk vanilla and pinch of salt, let cool before serving or to allow to thicken.
For the whipped cream:
- Whisk until soft peaks form.
Recipes and Styling by Rafe Vencio
Story by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
