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Cherry and Chocolate Crumble Semifreddo

Cherry and Chocolate Crumble Semifreddo

Easier than ice cream cake, but just as delicious.

By Courtney HillOctober 4, 2023

  • Makes
    8 servings
  • Cook Time
    20 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    plus freezing
  • Rating

This frozen dessert is impressive not only in how quickly and easily it comes together but also in how elegant the speckled, mosaic-like slices look when plated. The semifreddo is rich yet light in flavor, with both creaminess and crunch, and it can be made well in advance. Fresh or frozen (thawed) pitted sweet cherries work equally well. We roughly chop the cherries, then briefly steep them in amaretto or kirsch (balsamic vinegar is excellent, too), plus almond or vanilla extract. Thin, snappy-crisp chocolate cookies are the type to use here. We especially liked Tate’s Bake Shop double chocolate chip cookies. If you like, serve the slices with chocolate sauce. To make it easy to get the semifreddo out of the pan, we line it with plastic wrap. Sprinkling the pan with water keeps the plastic in place.

Ingredients
  • 2

    cups pitted fresh or thawed frozen sweet cherries, roughly chopped

  • 2

    tablespoons amaretto OR kirsch OR balsamic vinegar

  • ½

    teaspoon almond extract OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 5

    ounces thin, crisp chocolate cookies (see headnote), crumbled into bits no larger than ½ inch (about 2 cups)

  • 1¼

    cups cold heavy cream

  • ⅓

    cup sweetened condensed milk

In a small bowl, stir together the cherries, amaretto, almond extract and salt. Sprinkle a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with water and line it with a 15-inch sheet of plastic wrap lengthwise, pressing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan; allow the excess to overhang. Sprinkle a third of the cookies into the pan. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream and condensed milk to stiff peaks, then fold in the cherries and their liquid. Spread half the cream mixture in the pan, then sprinkle with half of the remaining cookies. Cover with the remaining cream mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cookies. Press the plastic-wrap overhang directly against the surface. Freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week. To serve, invert the semifreddo out of the pan onto a platter and remove the plastic wrap. Let stand for 15 minutes, then cut into slices.

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