This recipe has been created by Julie Le Clerc especially for chocolate lovers! It uses Valrhona, fondly referred to as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of chocolate, Valrhona’s reputation for exceptional quality has ensured that it has been the preferred chocolate for the world’s finest pastry chefs, since 1922. This semi-freddo serves 8-10 so depending on numbers you can readily slice off what you need and still have some to serve on a future occasion.
Serves 8 - 10
5 free-range eggs
100g caster sugar
300ml milk
1 tsp Heilala pure vanilla paste
200g Valrhona dark chocolate fèves
200ml cream, lightly whipped
100g Hazelz roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Calogiuri vincotto, to serve
Can Bech preserved figs, to serve
Line base and sides of a 1-litre capacity loaf tin with cling film, leaving some overhang on all sides.
Whisk eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale. Put milk and vanilla in a small saucepan, set over high heat, and bring just to the boil.
Pour hot milk gradually over egg mixture, while whisking continuously until combined. Return to the cleaned pan and stir continuously over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until mixture thickly coats the spoon.
Remove from the heat, add chocolate and stand for 2 minutes to melt, then stir until smooth. Place bowl over iced water to cool (20-25 minutes).
Gently fold cream into chocolate mixture in 3 batches. Fold in hazelnuts, pour into prepared tin, cover with overhanging cling film and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, until firm.
Serve thickly sliced, with figs on the side, drizzled with vincotto. Semi-freddo is best eaten within a week of making.
Recipe by Julie Le Clerc
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