Nougat Semifreddo

Free

Difficulty: Low
Time: 40 min (plus overnight freezing time)
Quantity: 8-10 people
Type: Semifreddos
Dietary requirements: Nut-free Gluten-free Vegan

Ingredients

MERINGUE

125 g aquafaba

125 g granulated sugar

SEMIFREDDO

250 g meringue

200 g vegetable whipping cream

20 g pistachio pieces

50 g candied orange

25 g candied citron

15 g chopped almonds

70 g chopped dark chocolate

BASE

170 g dry cookies like Biscoff

90 g margarine or coconut oil

FOR DECORATION

80 g dark chocolate

Pistachio pieces and candied fruit to taste

Do you want to amaze your guests at Christmas with a dessert different from the usual? Simple and possible to prepare in advance so you can dedicate yourself to other preparations? I have the perfect recipe for you!!! A nougat-flavored semifreddo made from a meringue-and-cream base, with the addition of dried fruit and candied fruit, and a base of caramel- and cinnamon-flavored cookies.. more Christmassy than this?? It is a freezer dessert so you can prepare it days in advance and store it in the freezer. It should be served frozen; it remains soft and creamy thanks to the meringue, and you can decorate it with chocolate and more dried fruit.

Method

Prepare the mold. Take a loaf pan and line it with baking paper. In a bowl weigh the cold cream from the fridge and whip it with electric beaters for a few minutes until well whipped.

In the stand mixer bowl weigh the aquafaba; separately weigh the granulated sugar. With the whisk at medium-high speed begin to whip the aquafaba. After a few minutes when it starts to turn white and incorporate some air, pour the sugar little by little.

Continue whipping until all the sugar is added and you obtain a stable, voluminous meringue, about 10-15 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer you can use electric beaters. While the meringue is whipping, in another bowl weigh all the dry ingredients: pistachio pieces, candied orange, candied citron, chopped almonds, chocolate.

Pour the meringue, in two additions, onto the cream and fold with a spatula using bottom-to-top movements. Mix only as much as necessary; the air is very important in the semifreddo so you must not deflate the mixture. Then add the dry ingredients and mix for only a few seconds. Pour the entire mixture into the lined mold, level and place in the freezer.

Wait at least 5 hours before making the base otherwise the semifreddo will still be soft and you will not be able to spread the cookie base. In a food processor crush the cookies until you obtain a powder, transfer to a bowl and add the melted margarine, mix with a spatula until you obtain a moist mixture.

Take the semifreddo back, pour the base over the semifreddo and level with a small spatula.

Return to the freezer for the whole night. The next day invert the semifreddo onto the serving tray, remove the mold and the baking paper.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a bain-marie until you obtain a fluid consistency. With a teaspoon decorate the semifreddo creating stripes with the chocolate, and quickly before it solidifies add pieces and candied fruit; it's a matter of seconds, you must be very fast. Return to the freezer.

Storage

The semifreddo is stored in the freezer and served at this temperature, so frozen, but it will be soft. Depending on the temperature of your freezer it may be more or less soft. If your freezer is very cold it is recommended to leave it at room temperature for 5 minutes, but first cut the slices; it will be easier to cut when it is harder. In any case use a sharp knife and warm it a bit under hot water to cut more easily and obtain a clean cut. Store in the freezer up to 1 month.

Tips

You can make this recipe gluten-free simply by using gluten-free dry cookies. You can make this recipe nut-free by omitting almonds and pistachios and adding other chunked ingredients such as chocolate flakes, candied fruit, crumbled cookies, etc. This recipe can also be made in another mold such as a ring 18-20 cm in diameter. In that case it is recommended to line the ring with a strip of acetate or baking paper, place it on the plate, make the cookie base first and then pour the semifreddo on top; this way it will already be ready on the plate and you only need to remove the ring. It is recommended to read these articles: - which ingredients to use - where to buy pastry ingredients and products