Il Cucinologo
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Ricotta Semifreddo

17/11/2023

The ricotta semifreddo is a fresh and creamy spoon dessert, highly appreciated for its delicate flavor and soft texture. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

  • 250 g ricotta
  • 200 ml fresh whipping cream
  • 100 g powdered sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 50 ml milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla pod
  • 2 sheets of gelatin (or fish gelatin)
  • Candied fruit, chocolate or fresh fruit for decoration (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by soaking the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 10 minutes or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar until you obtain a light and frothy cream.
  3. Heat the milk in a saucepan until lukewarm (be careful not to let it boil). Squeeze the gelatin sheets well and dissolve them in the warm milk, stirring until fully absorbed.
  4. Pour the milk with the gelatin into the egg yolk and sugar cream and mix.
  5. In another bowl, pass the ricotta through a sieve to make it finer and add the vanilla extract, then incorporate it into the egg cream, mixing gently.
  6. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the previous mixture using a spatula with bottom-to-top movements to avoid deflating it.
  7. Pour the mixture into a semifreddo mold lined with plastic wrap or into individual molds.
  8. Let it rest in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until the semifreddo is well solidified.
  9. Before serving, remove the semifreddo from the freezer and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes.
  10. Invert the mold onto a serving plate, remove the plastic wrap and decorate as desired with candied fruit, chocolate shavings or fresh fruit.

Trivia

The term “semifreddo” refers to a type of dessert that has intermediate characteristics between ice cream and mousse. It is typically served a bit softer than traditional ice cream and can be enriched with various ingredients, such as dried fruit, chocolate or different creams. Ricotta gives this dessert a particular freshness and lightness, making it perfect as a meal closer or for a sweet break.