Wildflower-Honey Semifreddo with Honey Sesame Wafers

By cakewardrobe

A delicate and smooth dessert that will surely send you to heaven!

Ingredients

• Special equipment:
• For semifreddo
• 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz package)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons mild honey (preferably wildflower)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• For sesame toffee
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon mild honey (preferably wildflower)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (not toasted)
• a candy thermometer; 6 (4-oz) ramekins; parchment paper; an offset spatula

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make semifreddo:

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and let stand to soften.

Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered.

Stir together honey, sugar, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture registers 238°F on thermometer (soft-ball stage; you may need to tilt pan to get temperature; see cooks' note, below), about 4 minutes.

Beat yolks in a medium bowl with cleaned beaters at high speed until they are thick and pale, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and pour hot honey mixture in a slow stream into yolks (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl). Reserve pan. Immediately add gelatin mixture to hot honey pan, swirling until dissolved, then beat liquid gelatin into yolk mixture and continue to beat until mixture is pale, thick, and completely cool, 3 to 5 minutes.

Fold one third of whipped cream into honey mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in remaining whipped cream gently but thoroughly.

Divide mixture evenly among ramekins, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen, at least 1 hour.

Make sesame toffee:


Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Stir together cream, sugar, honey, and salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden and registers 260°F on thermometer (hard-ball stage; see cooks' note, below), about 6 minutes.

Remove mixture from heat and immediately stir in sesame seeds, then pour evenly onto parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and spread into a very thin layer (about a 9-inch round) with an offset spatula. Cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes (candy will be slightly flexible), then chill on sheet in the refrigerator until hard, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove toffee from parchment and break into very small pieces (less than 1/4 inch) with your hands or a rolling pin.