Panettone Semifreddo Ice Cream Sandwiches

This post is sponsored by Wilfa

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a frozen dessert; I’m of the firm belief that ice cream is an all weather affair. This particular frozen treat is a brilliantly festive semifreddo sandwiched with panettone. Semifreddo, half frozen in Italian, is a traditional no churn ice cream from Italy. Made with a whipped egg foam and whipped cream it’s brilliantly creamy and rich, flavoured with pieces of amaretto and frozen cherries. If you saw my video earlier this week on toasted milk powder, you can also add a tablespoon of that to the semifreddo to really boost the flavour. Once frozen the semifreddo is cut into discs and sandwiched between two pieces of panettone, a great use for the Christmas bread.

To make the semifreddo, I used my Wilfa Smooth Mix Hand Mixer. The mixer has Wilfa’s characteristic stylish design, like all there products, and of course brilliant function. It has a 5-speed action plus a boost button for when you need a little extra speed. For a hand mixer it also has a very impressive 500W motor meaning it has more than enough power. The thing that stands out for me though is how the mixer handles. Hand mixers are notorious for vibrating and over sustained use can be annoying to hold. The Wilfa hand mixer is much more stable and much nicer to use. I also think it would make a brilliant Christmas present, and using my code THEBOYWHOBAKES you can get 20% off!

Semifreddo
300ml double cream
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
125g caster
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Few drops almond extract
1 tbsp toasted milk powder (optional)
50g soft amaretti cookies
100g frozen cherries, chopped

For the Sandwiches
1x750g loaf panettone
200g white chocolate
2 tbsp coconut oil

Lightly grease a quarter sheet pan or a 9x13 brownie pan and line the base and sides and with parchment paper.

Add the cream to a large bowl and whisk, using a Wilfa Smooth Mix Hand Mixer, until soft peaks form. Set aside for the moment.

Add the eggs, yolks and sugar to a separate large bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using the Wilfa Hand Mixer, whisk on low speed for about 6-8 minutes. Don’t worry about cleaning the beaters before whisking the eggs, since the egg yolks have fat the cream on them doesn’t matter. You want to whisk the mixture until it reaches 75C. This ensures the eggs are cooked but also helps us make a nice light foam. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk on high speed for another 6-8 minutes until you have a pale and fluffy mixture that’s holds a ribbon when lifted from the bowl. Pour half of this egg mixture into the cream and use a spatula to lightly fold together. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture. Scrape this semifreddo mixture into the prepared tray and spread into an even layer. Crumble over the amaretti and scatter over the chopped cherries. Press a sheet of clingfilm onto the surface of the semifreddo and freeze for 8-10 hours or until firm.

Slice the panettone into 1cm thick slices and use a 8cm round cookie cutter to cut out 16 discs. Remove the semifreddo from the freezer and unmould it from the tray. Use the same cookie cutter to cut out 8 discs of semifreddo and sandwich together with two discs of panettone. Place back into the freezer whilst you prepare the white chocolate.

Note: don’t waste the leftover semifreddo and trimmings from the panettone. You can use both together to make a frozen trifle, the panettone off-cuts would also make a great bread pudding.

For the white chocolate, break it into small pieces and using either a microwave or a Bain Marie melt it together with the coconut oil. Pour into a small bowl and set aside until room temperature, liquid and pourable but without any real heat. Remove the ice cream sandwiches from the freezer and dip halfway into the chocolate mixture, allowing any excess chocolate to drop back into the bowl. Set down onto a piece of parchment paper and repeat with all 8 sandwiches. Once all have been dipped transfer to the freezer until ready to serve.

Vanilla and Tonka Bean Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of those dishes that I turn to for comfort. Doesn’t matter the season, doesn’t matter the flavour, the process of making it and then the enjoyment from eating it, is a particularly comforting one. I don’t know how you’re all doing right now, I hope you’re staying safe and not going stir crazy stuck at home, but I’ve found myself in a weird place. Some days I’m fine, keeping busy with the few bits of work I've managed to save, and some days like today I wake up at 5.30 in the morning full of anxiety and stress. So I made ice cream. I know in some parts of the world eggs seem scare right now and if thats the case can I suggest this no churn ice cream instead, no eggs required. Scarcity was an issue here in London too, a couple weeks ago, but thankfully the panic buying and hoarding seems to have quieted down a little and all the ingredients needed have become plentiful again.

For the flavour, I wanted nostalgia and simplicity so I made a vanilla enriched base, using the vanilla beans because really what else am I saving them for. When I grabbed the vanilla from my newly organised baking cupboard (quarantine made me do it, or at least gave me a lack of excuses not to do it) I remembered I had a little jar of tonka beans, hidden and neglected in the back. Every time I use tonka I remember how much I love it but I rarely use it because it’s not widely available and I don’t like using lots of ingredients that are harder to track down so forgive my indulgence today you can leave it out if you prefer. Tonka has a unique flavour, a mash up of vanilla and spice. Its a strong flavour and needs to be used sparingly but it can really elevate a dish and make it wonderfully special. Paired with the vanilla of this dish it makes the ice cream a little more complex and rounds out the flavour, if you have some give it a try, if you don’t have some and self isolation’s got you bored maybe order some and have a play with a new ingredient.

Before we get to the recipe I wanted to talk about something a little more serious. I am a self employed food writer and unsurprisingly most of my work for the year basically vanished in a flash. I want to keep producing work for you guys, I want to give a place to come to for fun recipes you can make whilst we’re all stuck at home, and I want to produce content that you can escape with for a bit, but for that I need you’re help and support. I’ve decided to start a patreon and it will be an extension of the site. There is exclusive recipes, bonus episodes of my podcast, live hangouts and more as I think of it. I have kept the price really low and of course if you cant support I completely understand and don’t worry I’ll still be posting regular new recipes here and hanging out over on instagram. But, if you can support me, I would be forever grateful. The next recipe is online today and it is the cookies I used to turn this ice cream into an ice cream sandwich, it's a caramelised oatmeal and milk chocolate cookie, and its a bit special.

https://www.patreon.com/theboywhobakes 

Vanilla and Tonka Bean Ice Cream

300ml whole milk
450ml double cream
125g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
1/2 tonka bean
6 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

To make the ice cream in large saucepan place the milk, cream, half the sugar, the vanilla beans scraped from the pod (throw the pod in too), and grate in the tonka bean too. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and pop the lid on the pan, setting aside for an hour so the vanilla and tonka can do their thing and infuse the dairy.

Once the hour is up place pan back on the heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile place the egg yolks, the salt and the remaining sugar into a large bowl and whisk together until the yolks are pale. Whilst continuing to whisk slowly pour in the milk mixture. This whisking helps prevent the eggs from scrambling and the slow pour helps gently increase the temperature of the eggs. Pour the custard back into the pan and over low heat, cook stirring constantly with a silicon spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the custard reaches 75-80C and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into a bowl, through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps, and place the bowl into a large bowl filled with ice. Stir the custard for a few minutes until cooled to room temperature then press a sheet of clingfilm onto the surface of the custard, to prevent a skin for forming, and chill for at least four hours but preferably over night. This chilling does two things, it allows the flavours to enhance further plus cooling the custard down means when churning the ice cream is formed quicker which improves the texture.

When thoroughly chilled churn using an ice cream machine, referring to the manufacturers instructions. Scrape the finished ice cream into a sealable container and freeze until solid. Homemade ice cream is best within a couple weeks.

The recipe for the cookies in the pictures, a caramelised oatmeal and milk chocolate cookie, is online now on my patreon page.