Honey-Lemon Semifreddo and Pistachio Dacquoise Cakes

With summer around the corner I thought I would share an Italian frozen dessert, semifreddo. My son, Matt loves lemon (eats them like oranges) and although he doesn’t generally appreciate lemon desserts I thought I might be able to tempt him with another of his favourites, ice cream cake and if his excitement while I was preparing the elements for the dessert is any indication I think I did. He was repeatedly asking the question, “Mom is it ready yet?” without giving any thought to the fact that it had to be chilled.

I brought four flavours together in this dessert, honey, lemon, pistachios and blackberry. I wanted the lemon to be the predominant flavour so I chose to incorporate pistachios in the dacquoise because it brings a milder, nutty flavour. Pistachios also pair well with honey.
Traditional semifreddo is prepared by combining three basics, Pasta Bomba, Italian Meringue and whipped cream. Pasta Bomba or Pâte à Bombe in French is basically egg yolk foam in which flavours are added. It can be prepared in one of two ways.

The first method is very similar to preparing an Italian Meringue. Sugar syrup is prepared and brought to a temperature of 120° C (248° F) and then it is gradually added to egg yolks (instead of egg whites) that have been beaten until pale. Once the syrup is incorporated one continues to beat the egg yolk foam until thickened.
The second method is similar to preparing a Swiss Meringue. Egg yolks (again, instead of egg whites) and sugar (or in this recipe, honey) are placed in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. The mixture is beaten together continuously until thickened and mixture reaches temperature of 160° C (320° F). With both methods the Pasta Bomba is cooled over an ice water bath.

Italian meringue is gently folded into the flavoured Pasta Bombe. A lot of recipes skip adding the meringue but adding it ensures a creamier, airier, softer texture because Italian meringue does not contain fat and it doesn’t freeze even at temperatures of -18° C (-4° F).
The addition of whipped cream also adds to the softer texture because again, it prevents the semifreddo from getting too firm (high in fat, fat doesn’t freeze) even when stored at temperatures below freezing.

This brings us to the literal name translation, half-cold or semi frozen. Semifreddo is definitely a frozen dessert but because the meringue and whipped cream are added the texture is different than regular ice cream, softer not as firm. For best mouth feel and taste, semifreddo should be allowed to soften slightly before enjoying.
I’ve mentioned this before but for those that may have missed my previous post where I discuss the benefits of using glucose in frozen desserts I think it’s worth repeating. If you’ve struggled to achieve the same creaminess or mouth feel of store bought ice cream glucose will become your new best friend.

Commercial manufacturers have an advantage; their expensive equipment is better at preventing ice crystals from forming. Glucose prevents crystallization, substituting a small amount of sugar with glucose will provide a creamier texture which translates to the much desired mouth feel of store bought ice cream.
Another ingredient, which helps reduce crystallization, is alcohol. Alcohol doesn’t freeze; 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of alcohol can safely be added to the Pasta Bomba to achieve better texture.

These honey-lemon semifreddo desserts are perfect for summer entertaining. All the elements of the dessert can be prepared ahead of time and put together quite quickly before serving. They’re creamy, light and refreshing, ideal on a hot summer’s day.

Honey-Lemon Semifreddo and Pistachio Dacquoise Cakes with Blackberry Coulis

I prepared this semifreddo dessert creating a base with pistachio dacquoise, for another plating option (especially if you’re feeding a crowd), prepare pistachio crumb (or for a simpler pistachio texture, blitz pistachio biscotti to coarse crumb), dress the plate with a strip of crumb, place moulded semifreddo directly on crumb, spoon a round of blackberry coulis on plate and use the back of the spoon to drag across the plate (or transfer coulis to squeeze bottle and pipe dots of coulis in various sizes around plate), pipe a few mounds of whipped cream around the plate, and garnish with fresh blackberries and bubble sugar.

• Honey-Lemon Semifreddo
• Pistachio Dacquoise
• Blackberry Coulis
• Limoncello Bubble Sugar

Honey-Lemon Semifreddo

Makes about 1000 ml (about 4¼ cups)

• Whipped Cream
• Pasta Bomba {Egg Yolk Foam Base}
• Meringa all’Italiana {Italian Meringue}

Whipped Cream

• 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, 35%
• 13 g (2 tablespoons) confectioners’ sugar

1. In large bowl, using handheld electric mixer, beat heavy cream and confectioners sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to airtight container, cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble semifreddo.

Pasta Bomba {Egg Yolk Foam Base}

• 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 120 ml (½ cup) honey
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) Limoncello {Italian Lemon Liqueur}
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (use microplane)

1. Prepare ice water bath, half fill large bowl with ice, and cover ice with cold water and set-aside.
2. In large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk egg yolks, honey and lemon juice until mixture is thickened and thermometer inserted in mixture reaches temperature of 71° C (160° F).
3. Remove bowl from saucepan, strain egg yolk foam through fine mesh sieve into clean bowl. Set bowl in ice water bath, add Limoncello and lemon zest and stir to combine. Let stand, stirring occasionally until completely cooled. Prepare Italian Meringue.

Meringa all’Italiana {Italian Meringue}

Recipe Notes: Please note only one-half of the meringue is required for this semifreddo recipe, save the reserved meringue for another use.

• 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) water
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature

1. In small saucepan, bring sugar and water to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear. Attach candy thermometer to saucepan and continue to cook syrup without stirring, occasionally swirling the pan over the heat and washing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water, until temperature reaches 114° C (238° F).
2. Meanwhile, place egg whites in bowl of stand mixer, attach bowl to mixer and fit with whip attachment. When sugar syrup reaches temperature of 110° C (230° F) begin beating the egg whites at low speed until foamy. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to beat until soft peaks form (should reach soft peak just as the sugar syrup reaches optimal temperature).
3. When sugar syrup reaches temperature, remove from heat, detach thermometer and with mixer running at medium speed, carefully pour the sugar syrup into the egg white foam pouring the syrup in a steady, thin stream down the side of the bowl; do not let the syrup touch the whip attachment. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until meringue is cool, thermometer inserted in mixture reaches temperature of 29° C (85° F), the egg white foam forms stiff peaks and the meringue is thick and glossy, about 10 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer; reserve one-half meringue for another use. Prepare Semifreddo.

To Prepare Semifreddo

For my semifreddo cakes I used various moulds but to plate with blackberry coulis I used lingot silicone moulds and savarin moulds because they both have a cavity to house the coulis. The lingot moulds measure 74 x 28 mm (about 3 x 1 inch) with capacity of 72 ml (about 1/3 cup) and the savarin moulds measure 65 x 21 mm (about 2½ x ¾ inch) with capacity of 50 ml (about ¼ cup). You can use whatever moulds you like, if the moulds do not have a cavity you can add coulis to the plate when plating.
Recipe Notes: Reminder – only one-half of the meringue recipe is needed to prepare the semifreddo, save the leftover meringue for another use.

1. Arrange moulds on rimmed baking sheet.
2. Remove Pasta Bomba from ice water bath. 
3. Using large flexible spatula, fold the Italian Meringue into the honey and lemon Pasta Bomba until no streaks remain.
4. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture, again, until no streaks remain.
5. Using small ladle, fill moulds. Loosely cover with sheet of nonstick baking paper, transfer to the freezer and chill until firm (frozen), at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Pistachio Dacquoise

Makes 12 65 mm (2½ inch) dacquoise rounds
Processing the pistachios with the confectioners’ sugar helps to get a fine texture without running the risk of the nuts extracting oils while processing.

• 60 g (heaping ½ cup) raw pistachios
• 40 g (¼ cup + 2½ tablespoons) confectioners’ sugar
• 40 g (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 3 large egg whites, cold
• 28 g (2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). Line rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of nonstick baking paper and set aside.
2. Arrange pistachios on another baking sheet, transfer to oven and roast until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap the warm nuts in clean kitchen towel and set aside to steam, 5 minutes. Rub the nuts together in the towel to remove the skins and set aside to cool completely.
3. Transfer cooled, shelled pistachios and confectioners’ sugar to food processor bowl. Process until very finely ground.
4. Using fine mesh sieve, sift the pistachio mixture and flour into small bowl. Whisk to combine well.
5. Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F).
6. In large bowl, using handheld electric mixer beat the egg whites and high speed until foamy. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
7. Using large flexible spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the meringue (do not over mix).
8. To pipe dacquoise, dip cookie cutter (same diameter as the semifreddo moulds you are using) in flour to mark rounds on baking paper. Transfer dacquoise batter to large pastry bag fitted with large plain tip (13 mm or ½ inch opening). Pipe out spirals beginning from the outer edge of each marked round and working inwards to the centre point of the round.
9. Transfer to oven and bake, 7 minutes.
10. Remove form oven, using offset spatula, carefully remove from baking paper and transfer to wire rack. Let stand until completely cooled.

Blackberry Coulis

• 170 g (6 ounces) fresh blackberries
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 56 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)

1. In small saucepan, bring blackberries, water and sugar to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until the berries are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, add vanilla and liqueur and stir to combine. Let stand until slightly cooled, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to blender jar or food processor bowl and process to purée. Strain pulp through fine mesh sieve into small bowl using the back of a spoon or the underside of a ladle to extract as much pulp and juice as possible. Remove the pulp from the underside of the sieve with flexible spatula. Cover with sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill until ready to serve.

Limoncello Bubble Sugar

Although bubble sugar can be stored in airtight container for up to three days it’s best prepared a few hours before serving. Keep in mind, working with sugar on a humid day can cause poor results.

• 183 g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) caster (superfine) sugar
• 95 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) water
• 2 tablespoons liquid glucose or light corn syrup
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) Limoncello {Italian lemon liqueur}
• 2 to 3 drops yellow liquid food colouring

1. In small saucepan, bring sugar, water and glucose (or corn syrup) to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
2. Stop stirring, attach candy thermometer to saucepan, and continue to cook, occasionally swirling pan over heat and washing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water, until sugar syrup reaches temperature of 160° C (315° F).
3. Meanwhile crumble a sheet of nonstick baking paper (that’s been cut to fit standard sized rimmed baking sheet) between your hands, and then smooth it out some but not too much. The wrinkle will give the bubbles sugar its texture. Lay the paper on the rimmed baking sheet.
4. Just before sugar syrup reaches temperature, pour the alcohol on the baking paper and use your hands to spread and coat the paper evenly.
5. When sugar syrup comes to temperature, detach thermometer and add two to three drops of food colouring, remove from heat and swirl the pan to distribute the colouring.
6. Tilt the baking sheet at a slight angle and carefully pour the sugar syrup on the top of the sheet so it runs down. Tilt the baking sheet from side to side to coat the paper. The alcohol makes the sugar bubble. Set the baking sheet on wire rack, let stand to cool and set completely.
7. Carefully peel the baking paper from the back of the bubble sugar, break into pieces and use to garnish the semifreddo.

Assembling Honey-Lemon Semifreddo and Pistachio Cakes

• Fresh blackberries
• Limoncello Bubble Sugar

1. Using cookie cutter, trim dacquoise rounds. Arrange rounds on sheet of nonstick baking paper.
2. Remove semifreddo from freezer. Pop out each semifreddo onto another sheet of nonstick baking paper. Using offset spatula, carefully centre one moulded semifreddo on top of each dacquoise round. Transfer each cake to individual dessert dishes.
3. Spoon blackberry coulis into the cavity of each semifreddo.
4. Garnish with fresh blackberries and bubble sugar.
5. Buon Appetito!