CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

This intensely chocolate dessert is wonderful for a hoiiday party. Freeze in a loaf pan for a party, or in several small pans for a dessert for two.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons white rum
• 2 bars (3.5 ounces each) Perugina Luisa Dark Chocolate [2]
• 1 bar (3.5 ounces) Perugina Bittersweet Chocolate [3]
• 4 tablespoons Delitia Butter of Parma [4]
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 5 large egg whites 
• Pinch Sea Salt

Chop Bittersweet Chocolate bar and 1 1/3 Dark Chocolate bars. The remainder of Dark Chocolate will decorate the Semifreddo. Combine the cream and rum and whip until it holds its shape but is still soft. Put into refrigerator.

In a heat-proof bowl or a double boiler set over simmering water, put chopped chocolate and butter. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan. Stir and place over low heat, stirring often and washing the inside of the pan with a clean brush dipped in cold water to prevent sugar crystals from building up. When the syrup boils, insert a candy thermometer, increase the heat to medium and continue cooking syrup until it reaches the soft-ball stage, 240 degrees. (If you don't have a candy thermometer, cook the syrup until it begins to thicken and then test by dropping 1/4 teaspoon full into a glass of cold water. At soft-ball stage, the syrup should form a ball.)

Meanwhile, combine the egg whites and salt in a clean, dry copper bowl, if using a hand mixer,  or metal mixing bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with whip. Whip the egg whites at medium speed until stiff but not dry. If the egg whites seem to becoming stiff or grainy before the syrup has reached 240 degrees, add 2 tablespoons sugar and decrease the speed of the mixer to lowest setting. When the syrup reaches the desired soft-ball state, pour it over the egg whites while they are whipping and continue whipping on medium speed until the meringue has cooled. If using a hand mixer, move the around the inside of the bowl while adding the syrup to distribute it evenly. 

After the meringue has cooled, fold in the chocolate mixture, and then the whipped cream. Lightly oil molds or loaf pans with vegetable oil. Pour the semifreddo into a 2 1/2-quart mold,  souffle dish or several loaf pans. Wrap completely with plastic wrap, and then with aluminum foil, and freeze for at least four hours or overnight. Either unmold, cut into slices, or serve from a souffle dish.  Chop or shave remainder of Dark Chocolate and sprinkle decoratively over unmolded semifreddo.

Adapted slightly from Great Italian Desserts by Nick Malgieri