~Amadeus ...Week-End

A long week-end is here and I am hoping to get some blogging in. For your long week-end I bring you "Amadeus"
Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the 18th century.


Chocolate-Amaretto Amadeus Semifreddo

Studded with dark cherries and toasted almonds, this creamy frozen dessert is a cinch to make. Prep Time: about 35 minutes, plus at least 7 1/2 hours to freeze. Notes: To toast almonds, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350° until golden, about 10 minutes. To make shaved chocolate, run a vegetable peeler along an 8-oz. block of slightly chilled semisweet chocolate.
Yield

Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients

* 1/3 cup amaretto
* 2 1/2 cups chilled Chocolate Crème Anglaise
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 1 cup finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
* 3/4 cup raw slivered almonds, toasted (see Notes)
* 3/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet dark cherries (canned or frozen)
* Semisweet chocolate shavings (see Notes)

Preparation

1. Whisk amaretto into crème anglaise. In a cold bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, beat whipping cream until medium peaks form (they should hold their shape, but not be stiff). Gently fold in about a third of crème anglaise mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in remaining crème anglaise until blended.

2. Line a 9- by 5-in. loaf pan (holds 8 cups) with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on all sides. Gently fold chopped chocolate, almonds, and cherries into crème anglaise mixture. Spoon into pan and cover with overhanging plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 7 1/2 hours and up to 1 week.

3. To serve, invert dessert over a platter and remove pan and plastic wrap. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature to soften. Smooth top and sides with a warm knife if needed. Garnish with shaved chocolate.




And just for fun...