Strawberry Semifreddo

makes about 8 3-oz cups

Ingredients

1 pint strawberries

1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup (4 1/4 fl oz) milk

2 large egg yolks

1 3/4 oz sugar

pinch of salt

1 large egg white

pinch of cream of tartar

1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) sugar

1/4 cup mascarpone

1/2 cup (4 1/4 fl oz) heavy cream

Method

Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries in half. Combine them in a large bowl with sugar and lemon juice and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.

Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove.

While the milk is heating, whisk the eggs, sugar and salt together in a bowl.

When the milk is boiling, pour about half of it into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously.

Pour the tempered eggs back into the rest of the milk and place the saucepan back on the stove.

Heat the milk and egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent eggs from cooking, until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F. The mixture should thicken into the consistency of heavy cream, and if you draw your finger down the back of the spoon coated with the mixture, you should leave a clear trail.

Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the strawberries and mix with the spoon to combine.

Pour the mixture into the bowl which contained the strawberries and place into a ice bath (made by filling a larger bowl with ice cubes). Let the mixture cool to about 40 degrees F.

While the strawberry mixture is chilling, whip the egg white in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until frothy.

Add a pinch of cream of tartar and continue whipping until medium peaks form.

Scrape the whipped white into a bowl and set aside.

Place the mascarpone and heavy cream into the mixer bowl and whip with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.

When the strawberry mixture is cool, fold in the whipped egg white very gently with a rubber spatula.

When the egg white is almost incorporated, add the whipped cream and mascarpone and gently fold to combine. Be as gentle as possible to avoid deflating the mixture and losing air.

Pour the mixture into a large container or molds of your choosing, cover, and place in the freezer for about 4 hours or until firm.

The semifreddo will keep covered in the freezer for about 2 weeks.