Chocolatti Semifreddo

A semifreddo is a frozen Italian dessert. This recipe is something like a frozen chocolate mousse, flecked with coarse bits of crumbled cookie. My husband and I learned to make this dessert while on a vacation in Italy. The hosts of our Tuscan villa taught us several recipes, and this frozen dessert is one of my all-time favorites.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  egg yolk
• 4  tablespoons  cocoa
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest, from half a lemon
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice (half a large lemon)
• 1  tablespoon Grand Marnier (or other liqueur)
• 1 (6 3/4ounce) package  cookies (I use Pepperidge Farm "Bordeaux" cookies)

Directions

1. Break up all the cookies in a 6.75 oz. package of "Bordeaux" cookies. Then use a sieve or sifter to separate the pieces so that you end up with roughly 2/3 COARSE pieces (size of a dime) and 1/3 FINE pieces (like graham cracker crumbs).
2. Set coarse and fine crumbs aside, in separate piles.
3. Prepare semifreddo: in a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down sides. Then on SLOW mixer speed, add egg, egg yolk and cocoa; blend gently. Add lemon juice, zest and liqueur. By hand, fold in the COARSE cookie pieces.
4. Prepare roll for freezing: Spoon the gooey mixture onto a sheet of foil or plastic wrap. Place in freezer and allow about 3 hours to firm up. HINT - a simpler method is to pack the gooey mixture into a bread pan (lined with plastic wrap). Note that you have not used the FINE cookie crumbs yet.
5. Once frozen, unroll and coat the exterior of the roll with the FINE cookie crumbs. Return to freezer.
6. To serve, place two slices frozen roll on a plate; garnish with whipped cream, raspberries and a dusting of cocoa, if desired.
7. Funny note - our Italian cooking hosts called this dessert "Frozen Salami Roll" because the finished slices vaguely look like a slice of salami. We gently asked them if they would be offended if we NEVER referred to salami in the title, and they agreed!