Stracchino della Duchessa Recipe | Italian Semifreddo with Tiramisù Vibes

On paper this dessert has a lot in common with tiramisù—as Eva says, it has “tiramisù vibes.” The cocoa and almond custard combined with the unusual shape and semifreddo (“almost ice cream”) form make it a real treat for anyone who loves tiramisù but wants to try something new! For those curious, the name means “stracchino of the Duchess,” referring to some possibly royal origins and the fact that its shape resembles stracchino cheese.

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Stracchino alla Duchessa Recipe

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Cook Time: 1 ½ hours, plus at least 3 hours to chill

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 ¼ cups (300 milliliters) moka or espresso coffee, or as needed
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup (150 grams) white granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup (250 grams) mascarpone
• 3 tablespoons (30 grams) mini chocolate chips, or to taste
• ½ cup (40 grams) cocoa powder, or to taste, plus extra for topping
• ⅓ cup (30 grams) shaved almonds, or to taste, plus extra for topping
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) rum
• 14 ounces (400 grams) savoiardi ladyfingers

If making your coffee fresh, start by brewing it so that it has plenty of time to cool down. Pour the hot coffee into a small rectangular heat-resistant dish and set aside for later. You’ll need about 1 ¼ cups, but it never hurts to have extra on hand.

In a large bowl (you can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, or just a bowl with a hand mixer), combine the eggs and 40 grams (a little less than ¼ cup but we recommend measuring by weight to be precise) of the sugar. Whisk the eggs with a mixer until they are white and creamy.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining sugar and ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat until the syrup reaches a temperature of 250°F (121°C) as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Carefully pour the syrup into the egg mixture while continuing to whisk. Mix until the bowl cools down completely to room temperature.

In another large bowl, add the mascarpone and a few spoonfuls of the egg/sugar mixture. Mix together with a spatula, gradually adding more egg mixture until it is all evenly incorporated.

Divide the custard into two equal portions. In one, mix in the chocolate chips. In the other, mix in the cocoa powder and shaved almonds.

Line a loaf pan, measuring about 9 x 5 x 2.5 inches or similar, with a sheet of plastic wrap. Assemble enough ladyfingers to line the sides of the pan, standing vertically, and cut them to size so they match the height of the dish. Don’t discard the ends left over; save them for later.

Quickly dip a ladyfinger fully into the coffee, then stand it upright along the side of the pan. Repeat until you have lined the sides fully with ladyfingers.

Taking some full-size savoiardi (you may need to cut them smaller depending on the size of your pan), dip these in coffee as well and use them to cover the exposed bottom of the pan.

Fill the hollow middle with the chocolate chip custard. You want to fill it slightly less than halfway full; you may not need all of the custard. On top, pour the almond custard, leaving just enough room on top for one last layer of ladyfingers.

Cover the top of the custard with more coffee-dipped savoiardi. Since this will be the bottom of the dish, there’s no need to make it pretty so it’s the perfect time to use the leftover scraps of ladyfingers.

Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3 hours, or until it is firm but not completely frozen through. At this point you can serve, or you can keep it frozen for longer storage and simply thaw it until it softens slightly before serving.

To serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top and flip the dessert upside down on a large plate. Remove the pan and plastic wrap lining. Dust with cocoa powder and a sprinkle of extra shaved almonds before slicing.

Buon appetito!