The duchess stracchino is a delicious semifreddo with rather uncertain origins. Some say it is originally from Modena, some from Parma, and some from Reggio Emilia. It certainly has a very peculiar name that captures attention. It seems to have been created by a noblewoman (hence “duchess”), while the term stracchino refers to its soft texture that reminds us of the cheese we all know. While wandering the internet, I found a thousand versions, and in the end, I chose to prepare it according to the recipe of an Emilian friend. But among many doubts and mysteries, one thing is certain: it is delicious. That double mascarpone cream (light and dark) is uniquely delicate. In short… a perfect dessert to serve at the end of a meal when you have guests. A guilty pleasure… well done!
Other semifreddo recipes that may interest you:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: No-bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the Duchess Stracchino
- 7 oz ladyfingers
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1 pinch cream of tartar (or a few drops of lemon)
- 1 oz blanched almonds
- 1 oz dark chocolate chips
- 3 oz sugar (+ optional for coffee)
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (+ extra for dusting the cake)
- 4 cups of coffee
- 2 tbsp Marsala (or rum)
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- Electric beaters
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Sieve fine mesh
- 1 Loaf pan 10 x 4.5 in
- Plastic wrap
Preparation of the Duchess Stracchino
First, prepare the coffee and sweeten it to taste while it’s still hot so the sugar dissolves easily; then let it cool. If you like it bitter, you can also leave it unsweetened.
Once cooled, add the liqueur. I used Marsala because it’s my favorite, but you can also use rum if you prefer it. Set aside.
Line a loaf pan of about 10 x 4.5 inches with plastic wrap. I recommend leaving some wrap overhanging so it’s easier to unmold the cake after cooling.
Separate the yolks from the whites.
Add a pinch of cream of tartar to the whites and beat them to stiff peaks, gradually adding 1.5 oz of sugar. Set aside.
Place the two yolks in a second bowl, add the remaining 1.5 oz of sugar, and beat with electric beaters until you obtain a light mixture.
Then, add the mascarpone and work again with the beaters until a homogeneous cream is obtained.
Now, using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the mixture with upward movements.
At this point, divide the mixture into two equal parts. In the photo, they do not seem equal, but they are because I weighed them: they are about 7.5 oz each.
In one bowl, add the unsweetened cocoa (sifted through a fine mesh sieve) and the chopped almonds.
In the other bowl, place the chocolate chips.
Line the bottom and sides of the mold with ladyfingers cut to size and quickly dipped in the coffee mixture.
Then spread the cocoa cream on the bottom, leveling it well.
Place the white cream on top.
Finally, cover everything with more soaked ladyfingers.
Cover well with plastic wrap and place the duchess stracchino in the freezer for at least 3/4 hours.
After the cooling time, turn the cake over onto the serving plate and remove the mold and plastic wrap.
Dust with unsweetened cocoa, slice, and serve the cake, well chilled. Enjoy! Paola
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