Cranberry Orange Semifreddo Hearts

These Cranberry Orange Semifreddo Hearts are so easy to make for Valentine’s Day, a bridal shower, or even a birthday. Each frozen Italian ice cream heart can be served plain or with chocolate ganache.

Have you ever eaten or made a semifreddo, an Italian semi-frozen dessert?

These frozen desserts are like a cross between custard-style ice cream and a whipped fruit-flavored mousse. They are easy to make and hold their shape well, so they make great heart-shaped desserts.

I chose to combine cranberry and orange flavors to create a pretty pink-colored semifreddo for Valentine’s Day. The flavor is refreshingly sweet and fruity.

Cranberry Orange Semifreddo Hearts

Ingredients:

• dried cranberries
• cran-apple juice
• freshly squeezed orange juice
• orange zest
• half-and-half
• egg yolks
• granulated sugar
• salt
• pure vanilla extract
• heavy whipping cream

Optional

• chocolate ganache, chocolate sauce, or hot fudge sauce

You can make homemade chocolate ganache or use store-bought chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce to drizzle or pipe onto your dessert plates when you serve these semifreddo hearts.

Supplies Needed:

• medium saucepan
• food processor, blender, or immersion stick blender
• mixing bowl
• whisk
• wooden spoon or rubber spatula
• 2 silicone heart molds with 6 cavities

Instructions:

step 1 – hydrate the dried cranberries and orange zest

• Place the dried cranberries, cran-apple juice, orange juice, and orange zest in a medium saucepan and set the pan over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.
• Simmer the cranberries for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is almost gone and the cranberries are plump.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Reserve 2/3 cup plump whole cranberries.
• Puree the remaining cranberries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
• If using a stick blender, you can puree cranberries right in your pan. Leave in the food processor while making the custard.

step 2 – make the custard

• Pour the half-and-half into your saucepan and set over medium heat.
• Allow it to just begin to boil.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy.
• While whisking, slowly pour in about a 1/3 of the hot half-and-half.
• Then, pour the egg mixture into the pan along with the half and half.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the custard is thick enough to lightly coat the back of your spoon or spatula, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

step 3 – create the cranberry orange mousse

• Pour custard over your cranberry puree in the food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
• Pour into a large bowl and fold in the remaining whole cranberries.
• Chill in an ice bath or refrigerator.

step 4 – fill the heart-shaped silicone mold with mousse

• In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled cranberry custard.
• Spoon mousse into the heart-shaped silicone molds.

step 5 – freeze then un-mold the semifreddo hearts

• Freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer, and un-mold the hearts.
• You may need to dip the bottom of the heart mold into warm water for about 20 seconds in order to get the hearts out nicely.
• Keep frozen until ready to serve.
• I drizzled some chocolate sauce on some bowls and plates and set the frozen heart on top.
• Allow the Cranberry Semifreddo Hearts to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before eating.

You can find the items needed to make this recipe on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you use the product links in this post at NO extra cost to you. Here are links to 3 different heart molds that will work to make these heart-shaped Valentine’s Day desserts.

Printable Recipe

This recipe was originally published on February 6, 2013.

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Cranberry Orange Semifreddo Hearts

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

 

These heart-shaped frozen cranberry orange semifreddo make wonderful Valentine's Day desserts.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ice cream, semifreddo, Valentine's day recipe

Servings: 12

Calories: 150 kcal

Author: Beth

Ingredients

• 10 ounces dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup cran-apple juice
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. Place the dried cranberries, cran-apple juice, orange juice, and orange zest in a medium saucepan and set the pan over medium-high heat.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.
3. Simmer the cranberries for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is almost gone and the cranberries are plump.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Reserve 2/3 cup plump whole cranberries.
5. Puree the remaining cranberries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
6. If using a stick blender, you can puree cranberries right in your pan. Leave in the food processor while making the custard.
7. Pour the half-and-half into your saucepan and set over medium heat.
8. Allow it to just begin to boil.
9. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy.
10. While whisking, slowly pour in about a 1/3 of the hot half-and-half.
11. Then, pour the egg mixture into the pan along with the half and half.
12. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the custard is thick enough to lightly coat the back of your spoon or spatula, about 5 minutes.
13. Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
14. Pour custard over your cranberry puree in the food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
15. Pour into a large bowl and fold in the remaining whole cranberries.
16. Chill in an ice bath or refrigerator.
17. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
18. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled cranberry custard.
19. Spoon mousse into the heart-shaped silicone molds.
20. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer, and un-mold the hearts.
21. You may need to dip the bottom of the heart mold into warm water for about 20 seconds in order to get the hearts out nicely.
22. Keep frozen until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Allow the Cranberry Semifreddo Hearts to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before eating.

Drizzle or pipe chocolate ganache or hot fudge sauce on your plate to decorate. 

More Heart-shaped Recipes for Valentine’s Day

Dairy-free Strawberry Mousse Hearts