Recipe: Nutmeg Ice Cream Cake (Semifreddo)

Nutmeg Ice Cream Cake (Semifreddo)

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1-1/2 cups double cream
2 tablespoons light rum
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1-1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mace

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan, place over medium heat. Cook until sugar has dissolved. Add almonds. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar turns light caramel color. Immediately pour mixture onto a flat buttered baking tray. Allow to cool and harden. When cool, use heavy knife to chop finely. Set aside. Combine cream and rum and whip until mixture forms soft peaks. Set aside in refrigerator.

In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, whisk eggs, yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together. Place bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure water does not touch bottom of the bowl.) Whisk continually until mixture is thick and frothy (whisk should leave trail on surface of mixture when ready.) Transfer mixture to electric mixer bowl, add nutmeg and mace and whip on high speed until mixture is cool.

Line a 2 pound loaf pan with plastic wrap. When egg mixture has cooled, fold in whipped cream. Fold in chopped almond mixture. Empty mixture into loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or until set.

To serve: Remove plastic from top of pan, invert pan onto serving platter, remove remaining plastic wrap. Slice Semifreddo into serving pieces with sharp knife.