Denise says:
Semifreddo means semi-frozen and often refers to desserts like ice cream, cakes and custards. This has the texture of frozen mousse as it combines the textures of cream and custard ingredients. Strawberry desserts is are the taste of summer with their heart shaped fruit symbolising passion, purity and healing! Go fruit picking at your local fruit farm for the best flavours as opposed to the less tasty supermarket option.
To maximise the true natural strawberry flavour ~ always let the fruit come to room temperature before eating. Better still, leave in the sunshine before serving will dramatically improve the flavour!
Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus overnight freezing
Cooking Time:10 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients:
150g caster sugar1 vanilla pod, split
5 large egg yolks
600g fresh strawberries –hulled
200g double cream or non dairy cream
Light oil – to grease tin
Compote
75g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons cassis
1 tablespoon fresh mint – shredded
400g mixed summer berries to include strawberries hulled and quartered, blueberries and redcurrants or blackcurrants
Method
1) Heat the sugar, vanilla pod and 100 ml water in a small pan over a low heat until the sugar has melted, then increase the heat and bring to the boil.2) Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale. Boil the sugar until it reaches 120 C on a sugar thermometer ( or until a ¼ teaspoon of syrup dropped on to a cold saucer make a firm ball). Remove the vanilla pod, then carefully pour the sugar syrup onto the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream.
3) Whisk continuously until the bottom of the bowl has cooled a little – set aside.
4) Whizz the strawberries in a food processor. Sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds.
5) Whisk the cream to soft peaks and then fold into the egg yolk mixture, followed by the strawberry puree.
6) Line a 1.2 litre loaf tin with cling film. Grease with a little oil to secure. Pour the mixture into the tin and level the surface. Cover with cling film and freeze overnight.
7) For the compote, heat the sugar, 75 ml water and cinnamon stick in a small pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove and stir in the casis ~ leave to cool.
8) Discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the berries and mint.
To serve: Remove the semifreddo from the freezer –dip the base in boiling water to release. Turn out and slice with a hot knife. Spoon over the compote.