A simplified version of my more complex lemon, lavender, and honey semifreddo cake, this recipe forgoes the scratch-made sponge cake for lady fingers and uses a high-speed blender to make the semifreddo. The whole thing comes together in less than 30 minutes or less, and involves no baking!
8lady finger cookies(depending on the size of your pan)
Instructions
Whip the cream to firm peaks in blender or with a mixer and set aside or refrigerate. This step can be done up to the day before.
Combine remaining ingredients in blender, run on high for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool for about 5 minutes.
Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. You can use an unlined pan if you like, but you'll need to warm it gently when removing the semifreddo at the end.
Fold whipped cream and egg mixture together, mixing gently until just combined. Don't over-mix the semifreddo or it will deflate.
Slowly pour the semifreddo into the pan, tapping gently as you go to work out any pockets of air and to level the mixture. Gently press the lady fingers into the top of the semifreddo, forming a nice tight base (this will be the bottom layer when you turn the frozen mixture out onto a plate). Refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
To serve: remove the pan from the freezer and turn the semifreddo out onto a serving plate. Remove the plastic/foil wrap and let the dessert stand for 3-4 minutes to soften slightly. Cut with a long, thin knife that's been dipped in warm water. Serve with a drizzle of honey, candied lemon peel, nuts, or just as-is.
Notes
No high-speed blender? No problem - you can make this the old fashioned way using a double-boiler.Double-boiler version:Whip the cream and line the loaf pan as for the standard recipe.Set up a double boiler or bain marie (I use a large metal bowl over a large pot filled 2/3rds of the way up with water and placed over low/medium heat on the stove).Combine all of the semifreddo ingredients in the double boiler, stirring more or less constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the mixture reaches 165°F (74°C). This should take about 5-7 minutes over hot-but-not-boiling water.Allow the semifreddo mixture to cool a bit, then whip at high speed until roughly quadrupled in volume and well-aerated. Gently mix in the whipped cream, and finish as for the standard recipe above.I used a stand mixer of all of my whipping, but if you're using a hand mixer you might find that you get better results from the semifreddo by separating the yolks and whites, whipping the whites separately, and using the yolks in the double-boiler portion of the recipe. Combine everything at the end carefully to avoid deflating the mixture.