Chefs' Recipes

JoyBird’s cheesecake semifreddo

Is it a cheesecake? Is it an ice-cream? Adelaide's JoyBird marries the two creamy desserts into one.
three cheesecake semifreddo squares stacked on top of eachother on white plate with yellow background

JoyBird's cheesecake semifreddo

Mark Roper
12
40M
40M
1H 20M

“Every standard chicken shop has the stock-standard Streets ice-cream selection,” says Adam Liston. “We wanted to do an ice-cream, so we made a cheesecake semifreddo rolled in chocolate that’s been caramelised in the fire then blended with milk powder.” Start this recipe a day ahead to freeze the semifreddo.

Ingredients

Cheesecake
Semifreddo

Method

1.For cheesecake, preheat the oven to 150°C. Beat cream cheese in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, then add sour cream and mix until well combined (2-3 minutes), then with the motor running, add the egg a third at a time until combined. Add remaining ingredients and a pinch of salt and beat until incorporated. Transfer to a 30cm x 20cm tin lined with baking paper and bake until set (20-25 minutes). Allow cheesecake to cool completely, then break it into small pieces.
2.For semifreddo, whisk cream and sugar in an electric mixer on high to firm peaks. Fold through broken cheesecake and transfer to a bowl. Clean and thoroughly dry mixer, then whisk eggwhites on high to firm peaks. Gently fold eggwhite and a pinch of salt into cream mixture to combine. Line a 30cm x 20cm tin with baking paper, extending the paper 2cm above the top. Transfer semifreddo mixture to tin, cover and freeze until set (overnight).
3.Preheat oven to 220°C. Place chocolate in a loaf tin and bake, stirring every minute for the first 4 minutes, then every 30 seconds thereafter, until golden brown (5-7 minutes). Freeze until set (10 minutes), then break into small crumbs with your hands.
4.Melt butter in a small saucepan over high heat, add milk powder and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns brown (3-4 minutes). Transfer to an oven tray lined with baking paper and freeze until firm (10 minutes). Break into fine crumbs and combine with chocolate crumbs
5.Remove semifreddo from freezer, slice it into 12 squares and gently roll in chocolate crumb mixture to coat. Stand at room temperature until softened (10-15 minutes), then serve.
6..

Wine suggestion: Wines by KT Melva riesling from the Clare Valley. Drink suggestions by Ollie Margan.

Notes

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