What dessert should you serve for Christmas?
By now, you’ve probably already eaten your fill of mince pies and are sick of snacking on Celebrations. And perhaps like me, you’re also not overly excited about Christmas pudding (sorry to the traditionalists).
I find the best festive dessert is relatively light and refreshing after all that indulgence. Critically, it also must be easy to make in advance – take panna cotta, posset or mousse. This year, I have a new dessert to add to the pantheon: semifreddo, or cheat’s ice cream. Meaning “semi-frozen”, it shares the cream, eggs and sugar that go into a classic custard-based ice cream, except there’s no churning required. It has a slightly different texture than ice cream, too, at once airy and velvety. And best of all, it feels far fancier than it really is.
I was inspired to try semifreddo this year after coming across Nigella Lawson’s recipe for honey semifreddo. Instead of honey, though, I thought honeycomb: Kitchen Projects author Nicola Lamb recently shared a recipe for spiced honeycomb which sounded a perfect addition.
Honeycomb might seem hard to make at home, but really it’s a simple bit of kitchen chemistry: Hot sugar and honey, plus bicarbonate of soda, equals crisp, bubbly gorgeousness. It’s no harder than making caramel, though you will need a candy thermometer. (You can also use store-bought honeycomb in a pinch.) From there, the rest is straightforward: Egg and sugar are whisked together in a double boiler until thick and custard-like, then mixed with whipped cream, vanilla and crushed-up honeycomb, before being poured into a loaf pan and frozen until ready to serve.
A treat like this calls for a dessert-like beer, like a sweeter stout – Yonder Brewing’s Biscoff Chocolate Brownie Pastry Stout is ideal. Both are well-matched in sweetness; the toffee notes in the honeycomb pick up the biscoff flavour beautifully, while the stout’s roasty side prevents it from becoming too cloying. Together, this pairing is just the right amount of decadent – perfect for whatever celebrations you’ve got planned this December.
Spiced Honeycomb Semifreddo
Adapted from Kitchen Projects and Nigella Lawson
Serves 8
For the honeycomb:
Neutral oil or unsalted butter, for greasing
250g golden caster sugar
50g honey
75ml water
10g bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
For the semifreddo:
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks 5
0g golden caster sugar
300ml double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1. Several hours before you plan to make the semifreddo, prepare the honeycomb. First, line a medium baking pan – look for a roughly 8-inch x 10-inch pan with at least a 1-inch lip – with baking paper, ensuring it comes up all four sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the paper lightly with oil or butter. Set aside, keeping close to the hob.
2. Next, add the caster sugar, honey and water to a large, high-sided saucepan (it’s best to use a larger pan than you think you’ll need). Place over medium heat, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, while the sugar mixture is heating, mix the bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices in a small ramekin. Set aside.
4. After 3 minutes, remove the lid from the saucepan and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally to mix (do not stir, as this can cause the mixture to crystallise), or until the sugar mixture hits 150°C – the “hard-crack” stage.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside the thermometer. Add the bicarb and spice mix to the hot sugar and honey, and whisk vigorously for 5–10 seconds; it should bubble up vigorously. Immediately transfer the honeycomb mixture to your lined pan, using a rubber spatula to scrape it all out – it sets quickly, so it’s best to work efficiently.
6. Set the honeycomb aside in a low-humidity environment, and leave to cool and harden for 3-4 hours.
7. Once the honeycomb has set, break off a 150g piece with your hands (set aside the rest as a festive treat to enjoy another time). Wrap in baking paper and place in a ziploc bag; squeeze out the air and seal. Bash with a rolling pin until the honeycomb is broken into very small pieces. Transfer to a container and set aside.
8. Make the semifreddo. Line a loaf pan with several large sheets of cling-firm, ensuring they overhang all four sides. Next, prepare a double boiler: Fit a large, heat-safe bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl does not touch the water.
9. To the bowl, add the whole egg and three yolks, plus the sugar. Using a large whisk, beat constantly for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened, turned pale and taken on an almost custard-like consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside.
10. In a separate bowl, or using a stand mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks have formed. Transfer to the bowl with the egg mixture and, using a spatula, gently fold until the mixture is thick and uniform. Add the vanilla bean paste and roughly ¾ of the reserved honeycomb pieces, mixing until just combined.
11. Scrape the semifreddo mixture into your clingfilm-lined loaf pan, wrapping the top with the overhanging clingfilm layers. Transfer to the freezer for at least 4-5 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
12. To serve the semifreddo, remove from the freezer and carefully unpeel and discard the cling film. Cut into slices and top each with a sprinkle of the reserved honeycomb. Serve right away, as it begins to melt quickly.
Claire M Bullen is a professional food and travel writer, a beer hound and all-around lover of tasty things. You can follow her at @clairembullen. For more recipes like this, sign up to our HB&B All Killer No Filler beer subscription - you'll receive Claire's recipe and food pairings, plus expert tasting notes, with 10 world-class beers like this one every month.
