Tahini Semifreddo

An irresistible dessert and an excuse to buy big

Since moving to the country, my already thriving propensity towards buying unreasonable quantities of niche ingredients has been given the greatest excuse to continue. Grocery stores are further away, we’re eating most meals at home, and a brimming pantry feels like a promise of more meals to be shared with others - an animating salve for the expansive quiet of this place.

A 5kg tub of tahini is today’s subject matter. Beyond the more predictable hummus and ubiquitous tahini sauce, there’s an unexpectedly glorious pot of nutty gold at the end of this rainbow. Imagine halva - a classic confection of tahini and sugar - had a lovechild with ice cream; the texture of this tahini semifreddo is dense and velvety. Richer than your classic scoop, a mouthful reminds you of a decadent mousse but with an icy chill. The beauty of this dessert, aside from its unbearable pleasure, is that it comes together with surprisingly little effort - and unlike making Summer’s creamy cold darling, you don’t need an ice cream machine.

As with all meaningfully delicious things, the quality of your ingredients matter. Even more-so the shorter the ingredient list becomes. In this case, we’re leaning heavily on the sweet milky flavor of soft peaks of whipped cream - please do make an effort to source the best you can. Your tahini should be pourable and luscious, with a penetrating nuttiness and only the smallest whisper of bitterness. Seed and Mill and Villa Jerada both offer a reliably delicious product. Maple sugar helps to coax the innate sweetness out of the toasty sesame, marrying its more assertive nature with the ethereal lightness of sweet cream. If maple sugar feels out of reach, you can easily substitute a sugar of your choosing - coconut sugar, panela, or jaggery are all great options if you’re seeking a depth of flavor, otherwise cane sugar is a sure bet.

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Tahini Semifreddo

A whisk, a few mixing bowls, and the short list of ingredients listed below and you’re well on your way to making this show-stopping frozen dessert. Unlike ice cream, the texture of the semifreddo is ideal pulled straight from the freezer. I like to pour the semifreddo directly into the vessel I’ll be serving it in, and have found a small Weck jar to be the perfect candidate - beautiful enough to present on the table and with a convenient lid that allows you to stack as many servings as you find yourself inspired to make. Serve with something bright and tangy, like the season’s first strawberries, or double down on the decadence and drizzle over some melted dark chocolate.