What's Semifreddo? The Italian Dessert You Need To Know (2024)

FAQs

What's Semifreddo? The Italian Dessert You Need To Know? ›

Semi freddo means half frozen in Italian. It's a pretty good description of this dessert, which lives in the freezer, but gets soft within a few minutes at room temperature. It's not ice cream. It's a sabayon folded into whipped cream, then frozen.

Semifreddo (Italian: [ˌsemiˈfreddo]; lit. 'half-cold') or perfetti is a class of frozen desserts similar to ice cream.

Semifreddo is an Italian word meaning “half cold” or “half frozen.” It refers to a class of frozen desserts similar to ice cream but instead made with whipped cream by churning air into the mixture while it freezes.

Semifreddo—Italian for "half-cold" or "half frozen"—got its name because of its unique texture. Even though it's technically frozen, the Italian dessert stays soft and creamy. Unlike ice cream, semifreddo isn't churned. Whereas ice cream is scooped, semifreddo is molded and sliced, usually in a metal loaf pan.

Semifreddo is a classic Italian dessert and a cross between ice cream and mousse. It is super simple to make and requires no ice cream maker – just a little time and imagination.

Granita is a type of Italian ice cream dessert that is made from ice, water, and flavouring. It is similar to sorbet but has a coarser, flakier texture. This is usually served as a refreshing summer treat and can be made with a variety of fruit flavours.

Semifreddo means “semi-cold,” and it earned its name because, thanks to its formulation, it feels less cold than it actually is. It is sometimes referred to as “winter's gelato” because it is appealing during colder whether due to the fact that it's richer and less chilling than typical gelato.

As the name semifreddo - half-frozen - suggests, these desserts benefit from a short period out of the freezer before serving, to allow them to soften slightly. In warm weather you may prefer to let them soften slightly in the refrigerator.

An occasional fleck of cream won't hurt the semifreddo, but over-mixing (deflation) can make it seem hard and dense. So work gently, with an eye to creating an even mix, but don't pursue total hom*ogenization at the cost of the semifreddo's airy structure.

Gelato is undoubtedly the most famous one. According to the Istituto del Gelato Italiano , the association established in 1991 to protect the quality of this Italian excellence, gelato as we know it today was invented in Florence in the 15th century by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti.

What is the name of the famous Italian dessert? ›

1. Tiramisu. This iconic sweet treat is easy to make at home with our simple recipe.

Italian semifreddo is often compared to French parfait.

Perhaps because this dessert doesn't have the most extensive history, the flavor variations that exist are pretty much endless. Popular iterations include chocolate-hazelnut, citrus, and amaretto, but pretty much any sweet flavor profile can work in the context of semifreddo.

Gelato is a frozen treat that hails from Italy; the word "gelato" actually means "ice cream" in Italian.

Italian Ice, interestingly, isn't Italian. It's an American invention that came out of New Jersey about 100 years ago. However, Italian Ice is based on an Italian creation called granita, which is a semi-frozen dessert, originally created in Sicily, that's made from sugar, water, and various flavorings.

French parfait is made with pâte à bombe while semifreddo is made with Italian meringue. Pâte à bombe is foamed egg yolks tempered with sugar syrup. Italian meringue is made by foaming egg whites and sugar syrup. This is the main difference: parfait is made with egg yolks while semifreddo is made with egg whites.

Gelato (Italian: [dʒeˈlaːto]; lit. 'frozen') is the common word in Italian for all types of ice cream. In English, it specifically refers to a frozen dessert of Italian origin. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styles of frozen dessert.