How to Make Semifreddo

Having written two cookbooks about frozen desserts, we're ready to proclaim which one is the very best. Sorry, gelato and ice cream lovers—semifreddo is the winner. A staple in most restaurants in Italy, semifreddo is like fluffy, sliceable ice cream, but better. We think it's the richest, most luscious, and probably most decadent member of the frozen dessert family.

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Meaning "half cold" in Italian, semifreddo maintains a soft, velvety texture, even right out of the freezer. Because it contains so much sugar and air, it will never freeze into a hard, dense block the way ice cream does. And since you don't need an ice cream maker or any other special equipment to make it, it's easy to whip one up whenever the craving strikes. There are three components to a semifreddo—whipped cream, zabaglione, and Swiss meringue. The whipped cream adds richness and air to the dessert. The zabaglione, a light and foamy Italian sauce of egg yolks, sugar, and flavorings, does the same but also lets you change the flavor of the semifreddo by adding liqueurs, chocolate, fresh herbs, or fruit. Finally, thick, glossy Swiss meringue (a mixture of egg whites and sugar), adds yet another level of sweetness and loft. Fold those elements together, freeze in a loaf pan, slice, and serve. You'll swoon, we swear.

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Semifreddo, in Six Easy Steps

1. Whip the Cream: Whipping heavy cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters keeps it very cold so it can reach its loftiest potential. Stop the mixer the moment the cream has reached stiff peaks. More...

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