Lemon Semifreddo
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Lemon Semifreddo rivals ice cream, yet requires no ice cream maker. Cool, creamy and bursting with fresh lemon flavour for a wonderful summer treat served with lightly macerated berries. It is simple to make and best of all it is made ahead of time so it’s ready when you are.
Semifreddo means “half frozen” in Italian. Semifreddo is similar to ice cream, yet it does have some differences. Semifreddo contains a little more fat and sugar than ice cream, but that’s what helps to give it an ice cream texture without the churning. It also has more air from the beaten cream, making it less dense than ice cream. It is a lovely dessert that is worthy of company but also nice to have on hand for a family treat. Enjoy!
There are a couple of things that are important when making Semifreddo. The first is to whisk the eggs constantly over a double boiler until the temperature reaches 170°F. This ensures the eggs won’t start to overcook before they reach the desired temperature. The second is to not overbeat the cream. Soft peaks are what you’re after, so they fold into the egg mixture evenly. Stiff cream is harder to incorporate without over-mixing the final product. It is really quite a simple and delicious dessert.
Author: Compelled to Cook
Lemon Semifreddo
Ingredients
- 500 ml Whipping cream/Heavy cream
- 7 large egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 125 ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Whip cream until soft peaks, cover and chill.
- Add egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt to a sauce pot fitted to a double boiler.
- Whisk until combined and cook, stirring constantly until thick, coats a spoon and reaches 170°F.
- Remove from the double boiler and set in an ice bath. Beat with an electric mixer until cool, thick and pale.
- Pour into prepared whipped cream and fold until combined well.
- Pour into a sealable container and freeze for 8-24 hours.
- Scoop and serve with macerated berries.