Preparation

• Put granulated sugar in the blender to make it finer, almost powdered (do not use store-bought powdered sugar because it is mixed with cornstarch or wheat starch and tastes like cardboard).
  

  

• Place the egg whites in the stand mixer and start it on low speed with the whisk. When foam forms (bubbles form in suspension), add 1/3 of the sugar without stopping the machine. It is important that the machine’s speed is low to allow the sugar to dissolve. This is because granulated sugar is made up of microcrystals. If the sugar does not dissolve, the crystal tips break the air bubbles, and the resulting meringue will not be stable.

• Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the stand mixer to medium speed until the mixture doubles in volume. Then add another third of the sugar and when the mixture is firm, add the last portion of sugar. This technique is called French meringue.
  Place in the piping bag with an 11 mm smooth nozzle and create three meringue discs over the parchment paper by forming a spiral. Do not use silpat because, no matter how much it’s washed, it remains slightly greasy and the fat deflates the meringue.

• To size them, place the cake ring on the parchment paper and make a spiral slightly smaller than the ring because it will expand in the oven.
  With these quantities, you will make three meringue discs and the necessary meringue kisses for decoration (you will have some leftover, but that way you can choose the prettiest ones). Before baking the meringues, sprinkle them with cocoa.
  

• Note that each oven is different, but standard baking temperatures range from 212°F (100°C) for about 3 hours to 284°F (140°C) for an hour and a half. Low-temperature meringues crack little or not at all and remain very white, whereas they crack and yellow more at higher temperatures. Although this might seem like a visual flaw, they can be more appreciated for taste (meringues yellow because the sugars and proteins cook, giving the product a more caramelized flavor).

• The egg whites must be free of any yolk traces and should not be whipped in plastic bowls (steel or glass are preferred) because fat inhibits the whipping process.
  Place the egg whites in the stand mixer and start it on low speed with the whisk. When foam forms (bubbles form in suspension), add the 30 grams of sugar without stopping the machine. It’s important that the machine speed is low so the sugar can dissolve, making the meringue stable. Once the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, turn the stand mixer to medium speed.

  

• Meanwhile, place the water in a steel saucepan with 100 grams of granulated sugar in the center, being careful not to dirty the sides. Cook until the water-sugar mixture reaches 249°F (121°C) (no more, or it will be too hard!). (It is essential to verify the temperature with a probe thermometer; guessing the right temperature is impossible).

• When the water and sugar reach 249°F (121°C), the egg whites with sugar should be at ¾ of the whipping process. At this point, increase the machine speed (not to the maximum but at 80% of the maximum speed the stand mixer can achieve) and quickly pour only half of the sugar, and after a few seconds, lower the speed a bit and quickly pour the second half of the sugar. This is because if the egg white were poured in a trickle, it would tend to crystallize (the initial part), as it would cool down when coming into contact with the much different temperature of the egg white. Hence, small sugar granules would remain in the meringue which, when mixed in the semifreddo with other ingredients, would dissolve, causing the structure of the dessert to be lost.

• After pouring the second part of the sugar, let it run at maximum speed until it reaches maximum whipping (the final result is a very airy, firm, and consistent white cloud). After that, spread the meringue on a steel tray, cover it with parchment paper, and place it in the fridge.

• By doing so, you obtain the maximum volume of the meringue (cooling it directly in the stand mixer significantly reduces its volume due to mechanical action and water loss) and a stable product (as slow cooling and volume and water loss cause sugar crystal formation).

• Italian meringue can be stored in the fridge for 3 days in perfect conditions. The cooked meringue does not present hygiene issues as it has been thoroughly sanitized through the very high temperature of the sugar, which destroys any microorganisms in the egg white. Moreover, the high amount of added sugars makes it hygienically safe. If the meringue deflates and loses a trickle of liquid, it means the procedure wasn’t followed correctly.
  The cooked meringue is crucial for the semifreddo’s structure and provides sweetness to the whipped cream.

• The cream, to be whipped in the stand mixer, must be cold, i.e., between 32°F and 39°F (0°C and 4°C). This is essential as only then are the fats ideally consistent, i.e., sufficiently solid. The cream must have a fat content between 30-38% (the optimal amount is between 32-35%), no more, otherwise, it won’t whip. The stand mixer bowl should be kept in the fridge before use.

• To whip the cream well, its quantity shouldn’t exceed one-fifth of the total bowl volume. Once the cream is in the stand mixer bowl, start the whisk at medium-low speed (so the cream doesn’t splash).

• When the cream starts slightly firming, increase to medium-high speed to whip it as quickly as possible (this is because the cream, when put in the stand mixer for whipping, is cold, but with the whisk’s friction and passing time, the temperature rises. The less the temperature rises, the less likely the fat globules will break down and turn into butter).

• – Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave (to melt it well, without burning, cut it into evenly sized pieces) and let it cool to room temperature (or in a double boiler);
  – Put the water in a saucepan and pour the sugar in the center;
  – Place the saucepan over the heat source and let the syrup reach 230°F (110°C) (measure the temperature with a probe thermometer).

  

• Start the stand mixer whisk at medium speed with the egg yolks and vanilla pod seeds to form a moderately foamy mixture.
  Bring the sugar syrup to the exact temperature of 249°F (121°C) (no more!).

• Pour the sugar syrup over the beating yolks and leave the stand mixer running at medium-high speed until the cream cools down completely (this step is crucial because if the mixture is used warm, when it contacts the cooked meringue and whipped cream, they will deflate).

• Add the chocolate, cocoa, and rum to the yolk and sugar mixture (one ingredient at a time), mixing with a spatula.

• Place the whipped cream in a steel bowl
  Add the cold cooked meringue from the fridge and mix.

  

• Add the cream and chocolate mixture with a few quick movements from bottom to top with the whisk. The technique is as follows: with a long whisk with stiff spokes, plunge it into the mixture; using the wrist to direct the hand, make it do a half-turn, lift it, and let what remains in the spokes fall.

• Turn the steel bowl a few degrees clockwise, repeat the operation. Continue this way until the container has made a complete turn. The final mass should be homogeneous, well voluminous, and substantial.

• Take a springform pan.
  Line the circumference with an acetate strip (if you don’t have it, you can use aluminum foil; acetate is better because the semifreddo adheres perfectly to the pan walls and stays smooth, while aluminum, no matter how well you spread it, always leaves some gaps that make the final decoration less homogeneous) place a meringue disc at the bottom, ensuring to place the disc with the smooth side down.

  

• Optionally distribute 1.8 oz (50 g) of chopped dark chocolate and pour half the semifreddo. Place another meringue disc and over it another 1.8 oz (50 g) of chopped dark chocolate and pour the remaining semifreddo.

• Finally, place the third meringue disc being careful to place it (unlike the one laid on the bottom of the pan) with the non-smooth side in contact with the semifreddo (so when it has solidified and is flipped, the smooth side will rest on the plate). Gently tap the pan on the table, so the semifreddo spreads evenly in the mold.
  Place in the freezer until completely solidified.

• Remove the cake from the freezer, open the clasp, remove the acetate strip, flip it over and place it on the plate (perfectly smooth, otherwise the meringue risks breaking) or on the cardboard disc and return to the freezer.
  Whip 500-600 grams of cream (preferably in two stages) and spread a layer a few millimeters thick over the surface and cover any ‘holes’ at the base.

• Decorate the top with cocoa-dusted meringue kisses alternated with whipped cream tufts made with the piping bag with a 5-point star nozzle of 8 mm.
  Decorate the sides with stripes made with the piping bag and an 8-point nozzle of 8 mm.

• Since home freezers are much colder than those used in ice cream shops, remember to take it out of the freezer an hour before eating, leaving it in the fridge in the meantime.