Tiramisu semifreddo trifle log

Serves 6-8 (Start 1 day before serving) Desserts and puddings

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Method

The day before, make the gelato. For the coffee flavour, put the cream and milk in a pan and heat slowly until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Whisk in the coffee granules until dissolved.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until paler and the sugar is dissolved. Gradually pour in the creamy coffee mixture and stir well. Pour back into the pan over a gentle heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken. Don’t let it get hotter than 80C or it will curdle. Pour into a clean bowl and set it in a basin of cold water to cool down quickly. Chill in the fridge until ready to churn.

Churn using an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions until frozen. Alternatively, use the still-freeze method. Pour the mixture into a freezerproof container and put, uncovered, in the freezer. After 1½ hours use a fork to break up the ice crystals around the edges, bring them into the middle and whisk until broken up and slushy.

Re-freeze, repeat the freezing and whisking process again, then re-freeze until evenly firm but not solid. Transfer the ice cream to a food processor and blitz to a smooth, lighter mixture. Transfer to the container and freeze until needed.

To make the vanilla gelato, put the cream and milk in a pan and heat slowly until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, sugar and milk powder together in a bowl until paler and the sugar is dissolved. Gradually pour in the creamy mixture and stir well. Pour back into the pan set over a gentle heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken. Don’t let it get hotter than 80C or it will curdle. Pour into a clean bowl and set it in a basin of cold water to cool down quickly. Chill in the fridge until ready to churn. Or still-freeze as for the coffee gelato.

To assemble the log, base line a 24cm x 11cm x 7cm deep tin with a sheet of baking paper and then line fully with cling film. Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft and floppy.

In a bowl or jug dissolve the coffee granules in 3tbsp boiling water, add the gelatine, 7tbsp cold water, the Madeira dolce and sherry.

Break 125g of the chocolate into squares and slice into shards. Put them in a bowl of a mini processor and blitz to finely chop (grating is too fine) and put aside.

Put the coffee and vanilla gelato in the fridge to soften a little if necessary. Keep a close eye on it - it just needs to soften enough to add in smooth layers but not melt too much.

Start by dipping 1 sponge finger at a time into the coffee mixture without letting them becoming soggy. Lay 6 of them lengthwise in the base of the lined tin. Evenly sprinkle with half the chopped chocolate. Add a layer of vanilla gelato to a depth of about 1.5cm, followed by a layer of coffee gelato. Repeat the process and finish with the final 6 sponge fingers dipped one at a time. Bring the lining up around the top to cover. Freeze for 7-8 hours or overnight.

About 30 minutes before serving, un-mould on to a plate and put in the fridge. Break the remaining 75g chocolate into squares, then slice into shards. Scatter over the top of the log and dust with cocoa powder. Slice into the number of pieces required, (roughly 2cm wide), then put any remaining back in the freezer for another time.

This recipe was taken from the Christmas 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.