CHOCOLATE AND ROASTED ALMOND SEMIFREDDO

SERVES 8

PREP + COOK TIME: 35 MIN (PLUS COOLING, FREEZING)

If you don’t have an ice-cream maker this is an easy, velvety alternative. Be sure to toast the almonds thoroughly – the nuttiness is a wonderful contrast to the rich chocolate cream. Start this recipe a day ahead.

• 125g blanched almonds

• 5 eggs

• 100g caster sugar

• 300ml milk

• ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

• 280g dark chocolate (60%-68% cocoa solids), finely chopped

• 200ml thickened cream

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, and butter and line the base and sides of an 8cm x 8cm x 23cm loaf tin with clingwrap, leaving some overhang.

2. Roast the almonds on an oven tray until golden (10-14 minutes). Cool, then coarsely chop.

3. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale. Bring the milk and vanilla bean and seeds just to the boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add to the egg mixture, whisking continuously until combined. Return to the saucepan and stir continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickly coats the spoon (3-4 minutes). Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and leave to stand for 2 minutes to melt; stir until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl placed over iced water to cool (20-25 minutes).

4. Whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the chocolate the mixture in 3 batches. Fold in the almonds, pour into the mould, cover with the overhanging clingwrap and freeze until firm (6 hours or overnight). Serve thickly sliced. Semifreddo is best eaten the same week it’s made.