Semifreddo Vs Ice Cream: What's The Difference?

The New York Times once referred to semifreddo as "ice cream's chic, Italian cousin." These kindred desserts are both frozen, contain heavy cream, and are often made with a custard base, but ingredients aren't the only defining factors of a dish. There are three main differences between semifreddo and ice cream: preparation, presentation, and texture or mouthfeel. 

Semifreddo, meaning "half frozen," is an Italian dessert that originated in Italy in the late 19th century, and it is thought to be based upon the French parfait, an aerated, frozen dessert made from egg yolks, cream, and sugar syrup. Ice cream, on the other hand, has origins dating back to 600 to 900 AD in Asia, although the first custard-based ice cream is believed to have been created by an Italian chef known as Francesco Procopio Cutò at his restaurant Café Procope in 1686. Procopio, inspired by Italian sorbet, added sugar and salt to his recipe with cream and eggs, which slowed the freezing process. 

Generally, semifreddo is made by creating a sugar and egg yolk base that is combined and heated in a double boiler, and then whipped until it's frothy, light in color, nearly quadrupled in size, and falls from a whisk in ribbons. The egg mixture is then folded into a basic but foolproof whipped cream that has been whipped into medium peaks. The batter is then poured into a loaf pan that has been chilling in the freezer and lined with cling wrap, and is frozen for at least eight hours or overnight.

Ice cream, at least French-style ice cream, is almost a mirror reflection of semifreddo in preparation. The egg yolk and sugar mixture is whipped (not heated), until it reaches the ribbon stage, and the milk, cream, and salt are heated until it reaches a simmer. Then, you temper the egg yolk mixture before blending it into the hot cream and slowly heat until it coats the back of a spoon and a line remains when a finger is drawn through it. Once the mixture completely cools and "ages" overnight in the refrigerator, it's churned in an ice cream maker for about 20 minutes.

If you've ever ordered semifreddo at your favorite Italian restaurant, you'll know it's served by the slice. That's because this elegant dessert is completely molded to the loaf pan, cut into one inch slices, and topped with fruit coulis or chocolate sauce — typically whatever additional flavors were incorporated into the basic recipe when it was made. Like ice cream, semifreddo is incredibly versatile and can be flavored with everything from limoncello and raspberry to coffee, pistachio, or passionfruit. Though it contains no thickening agents, semifreddo is often thought of as a frozen mousse. It's creamy and airy, melts quickly, and dissolves almost instantly on your tongue.

Our beloved ice cream, whether it's a custard base or not, is most frequently served by the scoop. Just consider those cartoon characters trying to devour precariously-piled cones before melting under the hot summer sun or toppling to the ground. While semifreddo is sometimes served by the scoop, the form is typically reserved for ice-cream-filled waffle cones or lined atop a split banana. In contrast to semifreddo, a spoonful of French-style ice cream is dense and almost chewy in texture, lingering on your lips and melting more slowly in your mouth.