Dark Chocolate, Orange and Hazelnut. Semifreddo.

I have recently embraced the freezer.  Well metaphorically anyway.  In London we only had a small shelf in the fridge but now we have three whole draws of icy potential.  So harnessing my enthusiasm I've started to make puds that can be made well in advance and be eaten straight from the freezer.  My chocolate brownie recipe is one, and this is another.

It is a complete dream, a light yet seriously creamy, orange-y, nutty, chocolately ice cream style affair that doesn’t require churning.  Wonderfully it gently melts as soon as you pull it out of the freezer dispensing with the usual ice-cream pick-axe fiasco.  I have one big tip though, when the time comes…use a hand electric whisk, I started with an old-school turning-the-handle whisk and after 15 minutes with no effect I very nearly gave up the will to live. I then upped a gear to the electric version and have lived to tell the tale…

Ingredients

180 g dark chocolate with hazelnut (go for at least 70%)

2 large eggs (free range please)

50 g caster sugar

1 orange, zest and 3 tbsp of juice

300 ml whipping cream

40 g hazelnuts

Method

1. Line a standard sized loaf tin with clingfilm, allowing it to fall over the edges.  I poured a little water underneath to make the clingfilm lie perfectly flat.

2. Break the chocolate into chunks and place in a bowl over a pan of hot water.  Resist the temptation to keep prodding it, rather allow it to melt then stir once after 5 minutes or so.  Turn the heat off the pan, leaving the melted chocolate bowl on top until you need it.

3. Break the eggs into a large glass bowl and add the sugar.  Whisk over a pan of barely simmering water until the mixture has thickened and doubled in size.

4. Take the egg mixture off the heat and whisk in the chocolate, allow to cool for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile dry fry the hazelnuts until toasted and whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.

6. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture along with the orange zest and juice.

7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and top with the toasted hazelnuts.

8. Pop in the freezer overnight to harden up.  To remove from the tin, fill a sink with hot water and dip the bottom of the tin in it for 5 seconds.  This will start to melt the semifreddo and allow it to be pulled out of the tin.  Serve in slices.  Quickly!