My notebook/Thai Tea Semifreddo
From my notebook · Elizabeth

Thai Tea Semifreddo

Makes150 ea 50 g bowls
Portion50 g
Steps4

Holds: frozen

Allergens: dairy

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Served at
  • Thai Tea Baked AlaskaAragma, Pune
    • From my notebookThai Tea Semifreddo

    Method

    1. 1

      Brew the tea: Pour 3,600ml of 80°C water over 180g loose Thai tea. Steep 5 minutes. Strain through fine sieve. You should have ~2,400ml brewed tea. Cool to room temperature.

    2. 2

      Mix base: In a large bowl, whisk together 1,200g condensed milk + 2,400g brewed tea + 12g salt + 60g vanilla + 24g cardamom (crushed pods). Taste — it should be sweet, creamy, aromatic. Strain out cardamom pods if desired.

    3. 3

      Whip cream: In a separate bowl, whip 2,400g cold heavy cream to soft peaks (not stiff). Fold into tea base gently in 2-3 additions.

    4. 4

      Freeze: Pour mixture into 150 small bowls (50g each) or into a loaf pan. Freeze overnight (6+ hours) until solid.

    Plating

    1. Remove from freezer: Take bowls out 5 minutes before service to soften slightly.
    2. Torch: Use a culinary torch to caramelize the meringue dome. Work quickly — 20-30 seconds per bowl. Aim for golden-brown peaks with slight charring. The frozen semifreddo inside will stay frozen while the meringue torches.
    3. Garnish: Immediately after torching, add garnish: coconut liqueur drizzle, fresh mint leaf, toasted coconut flakes, dried banana chip.
    4. Plate immediately: Serve right away while meringue is still warm and crispy and semifreddo is cold.
    Notes

    Yield: 150 servings (50g bowls) | Prep: 20 min | Freeze: 6+ hours. Document subtitle: "Simple, Elegant, Torch-Ready". The meringue is swiss meringue; the plating above is the document's SERVICE (DAY OF) section for the finished dessert.

    KEY NOTES

    Temperature: The water bath is critical — it heats the egg whites safely to pasteurization temp (140°F/60°C). Do not skip this step.

    Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the meringue and helps it hold peaks longer. Essential.

    Torching: 2 torch stations will cut your time in half. Practice on a few bowls first.

    Timing: Swiss meringue can be made day before and frozen. Torch day of, but within 30 minutes of plating.

    No waste: Use the egg yolks for other recipes or save for future use.

    Thai tea: Loose-leaf Lampang tea from Thailand works best. Do NOT use tea bags — they taste stale.

    Consistency: The semifreddo should be creamy and silky, not icy. The condensed milk keeps it soft.