Since berries, cherries and other summer fruit seem to be abundant across the country this year, anything you have growing in your area is ideal for a fancy-ish summer semifreddo.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
The element of nostalgia in our experience of food and flavour cannot be understated – that sense of sentimental longing triggered by things we eat and dishes people make for us makes them infinitely more enjoyable. It’s what keeps jellied salads on Thanksgiving tables, and has us craving the treats we associate with carefree times.
Since the late 1930s, a creamy vanilla ice cream bar with a brilliant orange Popsicle coating has been one of the most iconic tastes of summer. Its strong vanilla notes and creamy contrast distinguishes the Creamsicle from straight-up orange, making it a popular new flavour for products from frozen fast-food desserts to coffee whiteners.
Though orange tends to be the first to come to mind when you think of a Creamsicle, since berries, cherries and other summer fruit seem to be abundant across the country this year (and citrus is a winter fruit), anything you have growing in your area is ideal for a fancy-ish summer semifreddo. The Italian dessert translates to “half frozen,” though it’s actually completely frozen – its airiness gives it a softer texture, and a semifreddo is generally served by the slice, rather than the scoop. (Though there are no hard and fast rules with any frozen summer desserts – you could totally scoop your semifreddo.)
To make a Creamsicle-inspired semifreddo you’ll need more vanilla in the mousse-like mixture than you might otherwise use; beyond that, you can layer it with fruit compote, puréed (or even grated frozen) fruit, citrus zest, or crunchy additions such as chopped nuts or crumbled cookies. Stick it in the freezer to slice and serve whenever you’re ready for it.
Berry Creamsicle Semifreddo
Use any summer fruit in your semifreddo – mashed or puréed berries or soft stone fruit (peaches, plums, cherries), rhubarb compote or even juicy mango, finely diced or puréed with some extra juice, would be delicious. To make an egg-free semifreddo, make a batch of custard using Bird’s Custard Powder, cool and fold it into the whipped cream. To make it dairy-free, use thawed whipped coconut cream.
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar or 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup, plus extra to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries or other juicy fruit, thawed if frozen
- 1 1/3 cups heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap.
Put about an inch of water in a large saucepan, set it over medium-high heat and set a glass or stainless steel bowl on top. Crack in the eggs and egg yolks, whisk in the sugar and salt and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture turns pale and thick, and reaches a temperature of 165 F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat, take the bowl off the saucepan and set it aside to cool.
Purée your berries (with sugar, honey or maple syrup to taste, if needed) in a food processor or with a hand-held immersion blender, adding a splash of water if they’re too thick – they can be as smooth or chunky as you like.
In a large bowl, beat the cream and vanilla until it reaches soft stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cooled egg mixture. (It doesn’t need to be chilled – just not so warm as to melt the cream.) Pour about a third into the lined loaf pan. Gently spoon a layer of berry purée overtop, then repeat with another third of the egg-cream mixture, another layer of berries (save some for on top, if you like), and the rest of the egg-cream mixture. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and freeze for at least a few hours, or until frozen through.
To serve, remove the top piece of plastic wrap and invert onto a serving plate; remove the remaining plastic, drizzle with fruit purée or sauce or top with crumbled cookies, chopped nuts or anything else you like, and serve the semifreddo in slices.
Serves about eight.