Charlotte (semifreddo) with nougat

Name: Charlotte (semifreddo) with nougat
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Nougat + as needed for decoration 10.6 oz; Ladyfingers 20; Whole milk 1 ¼ cup; Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup; Mascarpone cheese 2.1 cups; Vanilla bean 1; Sugar ½ cup; Gelatin in sheets 0.4 oz; Dark chocolate 3.5 oz; Whole milk &frac13; cup; Butter 0.7 tbsp; Whole milk to taste

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410

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 410
Carbohydrates g 47.8
of which sugars g 42.9
Protein g 8.4
Fats g 20.5
of which saturated fat g 7.19
Fiber g 1.1
Cholesterol mg 64
Sodium mg 53

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Nice fluffy texture and bits of sweet crunch set this nougat semifreddo apart—it looks so inviting with those layers and all the pretty chocolate drops on top. Families pick this semifreddo dessert when everyone wants something rich and cooling but with real charm...think simple evenings with friends or bigger celebrations like birthdays and Christmas. Kids really like the way nougat semifreddo gives that soft bite along with bursts of sweet and chocolate, making every slice feel DELICIOUS. Golden edges, nutty inside, and smooth cream—every part of this chocolate drop semifreddo brings a new reason for a second helping. While the hint of Marsala cream always adds a cozy feel for winter, the refreshing chill makes it pretty much great all year round.

Home bakers reach for this dessert when they want standout flavor and something that actually looks nice—bonus, it's always waiting in the freezer, ready for any family party or dinner. Mostly, you see this easy semifreddo steal the spotlight at gatherings (people ask for the recipe!). Serving feels flexible since nougat semifreddo goes with both berries or some extra drizzle—it’s just as good fancy as it is plain. Plenty of families keep this semifreddo dessert around for those times you need a good, reliable end to a meal...even when Sunday dinner runs long, it doesn’t lose the nice, creamy bite. Add chocolate curls or swap the toppings—the basic formula still feels special. Families enjoy how it delivers classic Italian dessert flavor, and busy cooks count on it to impress guests without fuss. You’ll usually find happy faces every time this nougat semifreddo with chocolate drops hits the table, so it really fits whatever kind of family fun you have planned.

INGREDIENTS

410

Calories per serving

Nougat 10.6 oz (300 g) - + as needed for decoration

Ladyfingers 20

Whole milk 1 ¼ cup (300 ml)

Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup (200 ml)

Mascarpone cheese 2.1 cups (500 g)

Vanilla bean 1

Sugar ½ cup (100 g)

Gelatin in sheets 0.4 oz (10 g)

For the chocolate sauce: Dark chocolate 3.5 oz (100 g); Whole milk ⅓ cup (100 ml); Butter 0.7 tbsp (10 g)

For dipping the ladyfingers: Whole milk to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Charlotte (semifreddo) with nougat

Start the preparation of the charlotte by chopping the nougat (which you should have placed in the freezer for at least two hours or until it becomes very hard), first with a knife 1 and then with the blades of a food processor 2. Then soak the gelatin in cold water until fully softened 3.

While the gelatin softens, in a small saucepan, melt the sugar and the pulp extracted from the vanilla pod (you can do this by slicing the pod lengthwise and scraping out the contents) in 3/8 cup of milk; when the sugar is dissolved, add the well-squeezed gelatin 4 and turn off the heat. Meanwhile, pour the finely chopped nougat 5 into a large bowl and add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk 6.

Then add the milk and gelatin mixture 7, the mascarpone 8, and the cream (liquid if you want a firmer dessert or semi-whipped if you desire a softer dessert) 9.

Mix everything well to combine the ingredients 10. Take a round mold (preferably a springform) with a diameter of about 8 1/2 inches 11, place it on a serving plate, and start lining the sides with the ladyfingers just moistened in milk 12. The ladyfingers should maintain their shape: they should not be soaked, but just lightly moistened.

Continue by arranging the ladyfingers on the bottom as well 13 and proceed by pouring the nougat mixture inside (14-15). Cover the charlotte with aluminum foil and leave it to rest in the fridge for 4 hours.

To complete the nougat charlotte, it needs to be garnished with a layer of chocolate sauce, which will vary depending on the height
of the mold used and the length you have given to the ladyfingers to surround the semifreddo: if there is a one or two-centimeter gap between the nougat cream and the top of the ladyfingers, you will want a less thick coating of the dessert: a sauce that just covers it. Melt the butter in the milk 16 and add the chocolate, which you previously melted in a double boiler (17-18).

Once the cream is smooth and has cooled 19, pour it over the semifreddo 20 and put the semifreddo back in the refrigerator for at least an hour to also solidify the chocolate cream 21.

If the gap between the nougat cream and the top of the ladyfingers is larger (as in photo 20), you will need to prepare a thicker and more substantial layer of chocolate: double or triple the coating quantities, perhaps replacing milk with fresh cream (for example: 3/4 oz of butter, 7 oz of dark chocolate, and 3/4 cup of fresh cream. Or: 1 oz of butter, 10 1/2 oz of dark chocolate, and 1 1/4 cups of liquid fresh cream). In this way, you will obtain a larger quantity of cream and more compact, thus more stable once cold.

Before serving it, we recommend putting the semifreddo in the freezer for an hour to make it more suitable for cutting. You can decorate the semifreddo by placing pieces of nougat on top of the dessert and wrapping the charlotte with a ribbon to be untied in front of your guests: this will give a touch of sophistication and elegance to the presentation of the semifreddo.

Advice

To cut the nougat more easily, we recommend keeping it in the freezer for at least two hours to make it as solid as possible and easier to cut without sticking to the knife blade and then to the mixer blades.

To serve the charlotte at its best, we recommend putting it in the freezer before bringing it to the table, so that, by hardening, it will be easier to cut into equal slices.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.