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Irish Examiner
17-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Michelle Darmody: How to bake semifreddo — an affogato in cake form
This is an affogato in cake form, a delicious blend of strong, dark espresso paired with the cool, velvety softness of ice cream. In fact, it is technically not ice cream, but very similar, made with a blend of whipped cream, eggs, and sugar. You do not have to make a custard base or churn it as it freezes; you simply combine the beaten eggs, whipped cream, sugar and whatever flavouring you choose. The combination of ingredients keeps it smooth when frozen. The air added while making the dessert also gives it that semi frozen feel which is echoed in its name, which means 'half-cold'. Contrary to the name, the dessert is, in fact, fully frozen. The ability to slice and serve rather than scoop makes it an ideal summer dessert. The base is optional but adds a firm layer that makes it into more of a cake-like structure, but it works equally well without the base. Originally, versions were laced with sweet Italian liqueurs and served at New Year's Eve celebrations. It is still popular in Italy and is now served around the world with all manner of additions from chopped nuts to fruit and, of course, chocolate. Semifreddo recipe by:Michelle Darmody This is an affogato in cake form Servings 10 Preparation Time 15 mins Cooking Time 6 hours 0 mins Total Time 6 hours 15 mins Course Baking Ingredients For the base 100g butter melted 200g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed For the semifreddo layer 4 eggs, separated 20ml strong espresso coffee 1 tbsp coffee liqueur, like Kahlua or Tia Maria 90g golden caster sugar 300ml cream To decorate 50g dark chocolate 100ml cream, whipped to stiff peaks Method To make the base, stir the finely crushed biscuits with the melted butter and set aside to cool completely. Line a 2lb loaf tin with cling film. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. Beat the egg yolks with the espresso, liqueur, and sugar in a separate bowl until thick. Whisk the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the cream into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the egg whites. Line the top with the 'base' and pack it down. Cover this with the edges of the cling film and place into the fridge. It will take about six hours or overnight to freeze. Remove the semifreddo from the tin and gently peel off the clingfilm. Place with the biscuit base side down on a serving dish and top with the whipped cream for some extra decadence. Gently shave the chocolate into curls with a potato peeler and sprinkle on top. Baker's tips Make sure to leave extra clingfilm when lining the tin so you can cross it over the top of the dessert. The clingfilm can leave a wrinkled texture on the surface of the semifreddo. Removing the clingfilm before allowing the dessert to soften will reduce the risk of leaving marks on the surface. Also topping it with some cream and chocolate shavings makes it look and taste more decadent, but it also helps to hide any imperfections. Use eggs that are at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge. Cold eggs will not whisk as well. Overmixing instead of folding in the egg whites and the cream can lead to deflation and can make your semifreddo hard and dense. Keeping as much air as possible will make sure the consistency feels creamy and soft and will give it its signature half-melted, smooth texture. To remove the semifreddo from the tin, tug on the plastic to loosen it then run a butter knife around the inside of the tin, peel back the top of the cling film and invert the dessert onto your serving plate. The semifreddo will keep for up to four weeks in your freezer. Because it is made in a different way to ice cream it does not have as long a storage time. You can slice it straight from the freezer with a knife dipped in boiling water or you can allow it to thaw slightly before serving. It is nice to put your serving plate into the freezer before turning the dessert out onto it. This recipe uses raw eggs, so may not be suitable for all diners. It is best made with very fresh eggs. There is uncooked alcohol in the dessert so it is not suitable for children. Three delicious variations Orange semifreddo In place of the coffee liqueur and espresso, use the zest of two oranges and either 20ml of orange juice or an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier. Cherry black forest gateau In place of the espresso and coffee, add 30ml of a cherry liqueur such as Kirsch. Top the whipped cream layer with some maraschino cherries before adding the chocolate shavings. Marsala and dried fruit In place of the espresso and coffee, use 40ml of marsala. It is also nice to add a mixture of dried fruit. I like to have a colourful combination of apricots, prunes, golden raisins and mixed peel, all chopped. Add 150g of the fruit combination and soak them in the marsala before adding the swollen fruit and the remaining marsala to the mixture. Read More Michelle Darmody: How to bake profiteroles and the mistakes to avoid
Time Out
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
These 4 Chicago bars were just ranked some of the best in North America
Raise your glass, Chicago: four local bars just landed on the 2025 North America 50 Best Bars list—and a fifth is already being hailed as the next big thing. The newly announced ranking celebrates cocktail excellence across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, with Chicago's Kumiko leading the city's showing at number 10 and earning the title of Best Bar in the Midwest USA, sponsored by Tia Maria. But Kumiko isn't just a bar—it's a meditative escape in the West Loop. Created by Julia Momosé and the team behind Oriole, it's a place where welcome tea replaces party shots. The bar's serene, wood-accented omakase counter boasts just eight seats, where diners taste a progression of Japanese-influenced bites like seaweed-slicked uni, wagyu glazed in black garlic molasses and milk toast crowned with fermented honey ice cream, paired with imaginative sake and shochu cocktails. If mindfulness could be distilled and served in a glass, it might taste like Kumiko. And then there's Lemon, which hasn't even cracked the top 50—yet. The cocktail spot was named the Campari One To Watch, an award given to a standout bar poised to make the list in the near future. At the top of this year's ranking? Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, which held onto its number 1 spot for the second year in a row. The 50 best bars in North America in 2025, according to 50 Best Bars: 1. Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City 2. Superbueno in New York 3. Tlecān in Mexico City 4. Jewel of the South in New Orleans 5. Sip & Guzzle in New York 6. Overstory in New York 7. Bar Pompette in Toronto 8. El Gallo Altanero in Guadalajara 9. Licorería Limantour in Mexico City 10. Kumiko in Chicago 11. Clemente Bar in New York 12. Mírate in Los Angeles 13. Café La Trova in Miami 14. Bar Mauro in Mexico City 15. Martiny's in New York 16. Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco 17. True Laurel in San Francisco 18. Employees Only in New York 19. Double Chicken Please in New York 20. Baltra Bar in Mexico City 21. Civil Liberties in Toronto 22. Aruba Day Drink in Tijuana 23. Service Bar in Washington DC 24. Thunderbolt in Los Angeles 25. Best Intentions in Chicago 26. Botanist Bar in Vancouver 27. Arca in Tulum 28. The Keefer Bar in Vancouver 29. Selva in Oaxaca 30. Library by the Sea in Grand Cayman 31. Cloakroom in Montreal 32. La Factoría in San Juan 33. Maison Premiere in New York 34. Bijou Drinkery Room in Mexico City 35. Hanky Panky in Mexico City 36. Atwater Cocktail Club in Montreal 37. Bar Mordecai in Toronto 38. Meadowlark in Chicago 39. Bisous in Chicago 40. Kaito del Valle in Mexico City 41. Yacht Club in Denver 42. Katana Kitten in New York 43. Angel's Share in New York 44. Mother in Toronto 45. Allegory in Washington DC 46. Dante in New York 47. Café de Nadie in Mexico City 48. Silver Lyan in Washington DC 49. Bekeb in San Miguel de Allende 50.
