Raspberry Semifreddo

If you've been somewhere on the East Coast for the past few days I think you'll agree that's its been a real scorcher out there! I have as pasty a skin as they make them so these kind of heavy summer days are pretty brutal. What to do to beat the heat? Shy of a proper beach or an outside pool, I give you a Raspberry Semifreddo!
Tomorrow is also my birthday, so what better treat than a couple spoonfuls of cold creamy fruity goodness to enjoy on my special day?

I have never owned an ice cream maker (blame the lack of space in my kitchen especially since I got my very first pink Kitchen Aid!) but I do love having frozen treats that I can pull out of the freezer for family and friends during the summertime. My solution is to make granitas or semifreddos, both easy options for warm days. They both require very little equipment - also perfect when a little lazy!

Last summer, I made basil and berry granita, which have quickly become a favorite to make in the summertime. This semifreddo tastes more like ice cream than sorbet, is wonderfully creamy and pretty easy to put together. Semifreddos are sort of the mid-way point between a mousse and ice cream, just the perfect amount of cold with the perfect amount of airy texture. You could use any berry you have on hand here but I've always loved raspberry desserts... so here goes!

For this recipe, I would suggest tasting the fruit your are going to use before adding any sugar. When fruit is perfectly ripe and sweet there really is no point in adding a lot of sugar to this dessert, especially seeing as the cream and egg batter is sweetened. This is really about tasting the fruit as you add sugar to get that right amount of sweetness.

But most importantly, don't you love any desserts that swirls? Sometime it's about the little pleasures and just making these swirls of pink curvy fruit makes me smile, every time.

Raspberry Semifreddo
Adapted from Donna Hay, serves 6-8

3 eggs
2 egg yolks, extra
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of caster sugar
2 cups (500 ml) of whipping cream
Raspberry Puree:
750g raspberries
0-2 tablespoons of icing sugar

To make the raspberry puree, place the raspberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness with icing sugar. Strain to remove raspberry seed. Discard seeds and set the puree aside.

Place the eggs, extra yolks, vanilla and sugar in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and, using a hand held mixer, beat for 6-8 minutes or until the mixture is thick and pale.

Remove from the heat and beat for a further 6-8 minutes or until cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold cream through the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into a 2-litre capacity tin. Spoon of the raspberry puree and, using a spatula, gently fold it through the cream mixture for a swirled effect. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Top with extra raspberries if desired. Enjoy!