Mint Chocolate Chip Semifreddo: A Creamy, Slice-and-Serve Frozen Dessert

This recipe is for everyone who inspired to make ice cream, only to realize they never froze the ice cream maker bowl overnight. My Mint Chocolate Chip Semifreddo gives you the same creamy payoff without the advance planning.

Mint chocolate chip has always been one of my favorite classic ice cream flavors, especially when the chocolate comes in thin shards instead of big frozen chunks.

This recipe actually started as a fresh mint-infused mousse. The first version was good, but when I tried the frozen leftovers the next day, I realized I had made a better frozen dessert than a mousse. So I reworked it into a semifreddo.

Fresh mint steeped in the cream gives it a more natural, layered flavor, while a small amount of mint extract replaces some of what gets muted in the freezer. The mascarpone keeps the texture creamy, a little corn syrup helps prevent iciness, and finely shaved chocolate gives you flecks and thin shards in every slice.

Store-bought ice cream is absolutely fine, but when I want something homemade without remembering to freeze the bowl overnight, this is what I’m making.

INSPIRATION(S): Adapted from Ina Garten’s Vanilla Semifreddo

NOTES:

• Mascarpone and corn syrup – I added mascarpone and corn syrup to help limit ice crystal formation and make the semifreddo a little creamier. 
• Chill the mint cream completely before whipping. It’s an annoying step, I know, but the cream needs to be thoroughly chilled to whip properly. To speed things up, place the strained mint cream in a bowl set over ice before combining it with the remaining cold cream.
• Don’t over-steep or aggressively press the mint. Twenty minutes is enough to develop a fresh mint flavor without extracting too much grassy bitterness. When straining, give the leaves a gentle press rather than squeezing out every last drop.

A huge thank you to the recipe testers for this: Noelle Hale, John Donovan, Ellary Draper, Linda Pheifer, Tina Harris, Katie Orme

Mint Chocolate Chip Semifreddo

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• Author: Trent Pheifer
• Total Time: 8 hours, 50 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 1x

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Ingredients

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• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided, plus more as needed
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, to taste
• 3 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), very finely chopped
• 1 drop green food coloring, optional

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Instructions

1. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan lightly with cooking spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang on all sides to cover the top of the semifreddo. A metal loaf pan will unmold most easily, but a glass pan will also work. 
2. Place ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until steaming and small bubbles appear around the edge. Do not let it boil.
3. Remove from the heat, add 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, cover, and steep for 20 minutes.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the mint gently to extract the liquid. Avoid pressing too firmly, which can make the cream taste grassy or bitter. 
5. Measure the infused cream. If you have less than ½ cup, add enough cold heavy cream to bring it back to ½ cup. Refrigerate until completely cold, then stir it into the remaining 1 cup cold heavy cream. Keep refrigerated until ready to whip. 
6. Fill a medium saucepan with an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together 4 large egg yolks, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt.
7. Set the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. 
8. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is warm, pale, slightly thickened, and reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes. The temperature is more important than the time, so do not worry if it takes slightly longer. 
9. Scrape the warm yolk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until thick, glossy, and no longer warm to the touch. It should fall from the whisk in loose ribbons. 
10. Reduce to medium-low speed and add the ½ cup mascarpone cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, and 1 drop green food coloring, if using, and beat until smooth. Taste and add more peppermint extract if desired.
11. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. You will use this bowl to fold the semifreddo together. 
12. Make sure the stand mixer bowl is completely cool. If it is still warm, use a separate clean, chilled bowl. Pour in the cold mint-infused cream and whip to medium-soft peaks. The whipped cream should hold its shape while still looking smooth and billowy, not stiff or grainy. 
13. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Sprinkle in 3 ounces very finely chopped dark chocolate. 
14. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream in two additions, stopping as soon as the chocolate is evenly distributed and no large white streaks remain.  
15. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours, or overnight, until firm. 
16. Uncover the semifreddo and invert it onto a serving platter. Remove the plastic wrap. If it does not release easily, briefly wrap the outside of the pan in a warm, damp kitchen towel.
17. Let the semifreddo stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Freeze Time: 8 hours