How Should I Store Semifreddo?

Our answer

Semifreddos and no-churn ice creams are not made with a traditional custard base and tend to not keep quite as well as regular ice cream. We would suggest that these are at their best within one week of making and should be used up within one month. They can keep slightly longer than this but usually the texture of the semifreddo becomes quite hard and icy and it is not as nice to eat. We would also like to highlight that some semifreddos contain uncooked or only partially cooked eggs and freezing does not reduce the risk of salmonella, so they should not be eaten by pregnant women or those with a vulnerable immune system (such as young children or the elderly).

Some recipes suggest freezing the semifreddo in serving glasses and this is fine as long as the glass is freezer proof and can withstand the change in temperature. Once the semifreddo has frozen enough so that it is firm, lightly press a piece of baking parchment (parchment paper) or clingfilm (plastic wrap) on to the surface of each semifreddo and wrap each glass tightly in clingfilm. If the semifreddo is in a loaf tin (pan) then again wait until the surface has frozen firm and wrap as you would for the glasses. If it is in an airtight container then you can just seal and freeze, though if you are keeping the semifreddo for more than a few days it is worth pressing a piece of clingfilm or parchment on to the surface once the semifreddo becomes firm as it will reduce the amount of air that comes into contact with the semifreddo.

As the name semifreddo - half-frozen - suggests, these desserts benefit from a short period out of the freezer before serving, to allow them to soften slightly. In warm weather you may prefer to let them soften slightly in the refrigerator. Remove any clingfilm or parchment on the surface before you allow the dessert to soften to reduce the risk of leaving marks on the surface.