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I’m currently hibernating in air-conditioning because we’re experiencing a horrid heatwave and I hate the sun. My friends think it’s cool to lay out by the pool in a bathing suit and get some sun and I think it’s the most horrifying idea ever. Wrinkles, skin cancer, wrinkles. You just can’t get me to do this ever.
Instead I think a good time is being inside eating slices of semifreddo with the air conditioning blasting in my face while I drink a glass of rosé full of ice cubes. This is fun!
I’ve been searching for flavors to put in a semifreddo that excited me. I’ve seen a ton of awesome ones on da internets but I wanted to obviously try something different.
I turned to my childhood obsession for inspiration. When I was a kid, I couldn’t go to a Thai restaurant without begging my parents for a Thai iced tea. And I’d drink it in like two seconds because I was obsessed with sugar of all kinds because I was deprived.
This no-custard based semifreddo gets its technique from Nigella Lawson’s very famous no-churn ice cream. Most semifreddos have a cooked custard base, but not this one.
One can of sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream and a bit of thai tea. That’s all you need. It’s glorious, silky smooth, rich and tastes exactly like a thai iced tea—magical.
Thai Tea SemiFreddo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons thai tea leaves
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
- Line a 8 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (a 9 x 5-inch would also work but obviously the semifreddo will be a bit more stout) with parchment paper, leaving some extra for overhang. The overhang will help remove the semifreddo after it’s frozen.
- There are a few different ways you can brew the thai tea leaves. Since they’re really small, I used a chemex. If you have a pour over situation, you can use it. You could also use a drip coffee maker. I placed my thai tea leaves in the filter of my chemex and poured in 1/2 cup of boiling water. When it went through, I poured it out into a measuring cup and ran it through the tea a second time. (I wanted super strong tea.) You should end up with about 1/4 cup of very strong thai tea. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
- To a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment (a hand-mixer would also work), pour in the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Beat for until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure not to walk away because this mixture can be over-beaten. When you’re at soft peaks, pour in the thai tea and beat until just combined. Transfer the parchment-lined loaf pan and transfer to the freezer for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- Allow to stand for about 5 minutes and then remove by lifting up the overhang pieces of parchment. Invert onto a serving board and slice up. Top with a sprinkling of toasted coconut.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is so beautiful. I would love you to stop by Food on Friday: Ice Cream & Sorbets over at Carole’s Chatter to add this to the recipe collection! Cheers!
PS If you would like to be part of the Food on Friday group, just put a reminder in your calendar each week to check out the new theme or email me if you would like a reminder by email. You can also see the themes coming up in one of the tabs at the top of my home page
What an awesome combo! Give me all the frozen treats!! Adding Thai Tea to my list of must-try ASAP!
I’ve never tried Thai iced tea as I can’t eat Thai food. I’m allergic to seafood and they put fish sauce in evvvvvvverything 🙁 Just coming out of the winter haze here so I might give this a go with chai.
This has no fish sauce! 😉
Totally in your camp! Outside, no! Inside with ice cream and wine, yay! Also, l love the color of your Kitchenaid.
I recently had Thai tea Ice Cream for the first time and loved it! I’m so thrilled to give this semifreddo a go <3
Oh I looooove thai tea ice cream.
I love Thai tea! I bet it’s incredible as a Semifreddo! Pinning!
Thanks, Deborah!
Oooh… never had thai tea, but I could I do this with any tea, please, right??? I’m thinking cocoa mint mate….OoLaLa…
I’m sure it would work with other teas, just be sure you’re making it with a tea that’s strong in flavor so the flavor comes through and also be sure to not add more than 1/4 cup of the tea liquid (or else it’ll be a really hard semifreddo)!
Thanks!
WOW! I love this. I was obsessed with thai iced tea when I was a kid too. Wait. Maybe I still am. Anyway, did I say that I love this already?
Oh girlfriend, I’m totally in your camp of thinking! I’m pale as eff and I got an epic sunburn from being outside too damn much this weekend, so I’m trading that for wine and desserts, hell yeah.
YAS! Best plan.
This flavour is about to become me new best friend…so delicious.