Make Ahead

S'mores Semifreddo

by:
September 14, 2010
5
1 Ratings
S'mores Semifreddo
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

Last week at a beach picnic, my friend Stephen (coffee aficionado, Big Green Egg aficonado, everything food aficionado) told me about a s'mores variation that I couldn't resist trying. He'd read about s'mores semifreddo online, abandoned it for being too complicated (home-made graham crackers and ice cream, who can blame him?), and struck out on his own with a pared down version using storebought ingredients and a little culinary improv. Adapted from Stephen Cornick. —Amanda Hesser

What You'll Need
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S'mores Semifreddo
Ingredients
  • Butter, for greasing parchment
  • One 16-ounce container Marshmallow Fluff
  • 6 graham crackers
  • 2 pints good vanilla ice cream
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
  1. Heat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment and generously butter the parchment. Spoon the Fluff onto the parchment. Wet your hands and pat out the Fluff into a thin layer (see photos below) that nearly covers the baking sheet.
  2. Place the Fluff under the broiler (about 6 inches from the flame) and toast all over. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a spatula, turn in the sides of the Fluff, folding it like a letter, to expose the un-toasted portions. Place under the broiler and toast all over, again. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  3. Put the graham crackers in a sturdy plastic bag, and using either a rolling pin or the base of a small saucepan, pound the crackers into coarse crumbs. Spread half of them in the base of an 8-inch baking dish.
  4. Set out the ice cream for 10 minutes. Place it in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (if you don't have a mixer, you can mix it by hand and skip the gym this week). With the mixer on low, mash the ice cream to loosen it a bit. Add the toasted Fluff and mix until just blended but not broken down -- you want there to be chewy bits. Scrape into the baking dish and freeze.
  5. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and oil in a double boiler, whisking until they're smooth.
  6. To serve, spread the remaining graham cracker crumbs on top of the semifreddo. Drizzle the top with as much chocolate as you like! (You may also pass a pitcher of chocolate at the table, which your guests will appreciate.)
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  • Jim Smart
    Jim Smart
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    avimom
  • lowcountrycook
    lowcountrycook
Amanda Hesser

Recipe by: Amanda Hesser

Before starting Food52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addison.

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3 Reviews

Jim S.
Jim S. July 14, 2011
I don't understand why they do this, semifreddo is already one of the easiest and cheapest things to make for real. I'd recommend checking out this recipe on my favorite food blog to learn how to make real semifreddo. She does an amazing job explaining the process.

http://fifteenspatulas.com/2010/11/23/peanut-butter-caramel-semifreddo-the-best-and-easiest-dessert-ever/
 
avimom
avimom January 10, 2011
Fast, easy, and very yummy. I took it out of the freezer a bit too early, so the presentation wasn't beautiful, but it still tasted quite good. You don't need to get the fluff spread out perfectly. I just dolloped it onto the parchment and then flattened a bit to make several discs of fluff. They were easy to flip to toast on the other side. And it toasts quite quickly! Don't stray from your broiler!
 
lowcountrycook
lowcountrycook November 15, 2010
This is a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts recipe. A note on the ice cream: be sure to use a higher quality brand as they have less air; otherwise the ice cream will break down to nothing when you start to mix it.