I usually go to Bologna, Italy, in the fall or winter months. My tradition is to find the lady on the corner of the main street roasting fresh chestnuts in a large round pan. She sells them, fragrant and warm, for a few euros in a small white packet. Semifreddo is Italian for half-frozen, and I look forward to this special treat on cold days.
You can buy fresh chestnuts during the holidays in a local market/ grocery store or shipped to you directly from Allen Creek Farm in Washington state. When researching chestnuts here on Cape Cod, I found that in 1905, the American chestnut trees were wiped out by a foreign fungus disease. Breeders have been trying to bring the species back. Rufin Van Bossuyt of Harwich has started to cultivate them.
Note: All utensils, beaters, bowls, and ingredients should be very cold.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped candied fruit, soaked with ¼ cup rum, and set aside
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1¼ cups sugar, divided
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ pound chestnuts, pureed
- ¼ cup rum
- 4 large eggs
Preparation
Line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch metal pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang of several inches on all sides. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form, then mix in vanilla, ¾ cup sugar, and refrigerate. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves to create a simple syrup. Puree the chestnuts and rum in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
In a standard mixer with a large whisk, beat the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes on medium speed. With the mixer running, slowly add the hot sugar syrup to the eggs in a thin stream. Continue beating until the mixture is light, fluffy, and cool.
Gently fold in the whipped cream until well incorporated. Turn off the mixer, remove the bowl, and stir in the chestnut puree and the candied fruit.
Spoon the batter into the prepared metal pan, cover securely with the plastic wrap, and put in the freezer overnight until set.
To serve, remove from the freezer and stand at room temperature for a few minutes. Invert the metal pan, tap the bottom to remove the semifreddo, and discard the plastic wrap. Place on a chilled serving platter and slice crosswise. Serve a slice on chilled plates and garnish with your choice of fruit and a biscotti.
