{Recipe} Meyer Lemon Semifreddo

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of participating in the Paso Robles Wineries of 46 East's annual Esprit Du Vin event. One of the items I brought with me for attendees to sample and purchase was our Meyer Lemon Curd. As they ate it by the spoonful, many said, "That's delicious! But what do I DO with it??"

If you've never had lemon curd before, it's a sweet-tart custard sauce made by stirring...and stirring...and stirring (you get the picture) a combination of eggs, sugar, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest over very low heat until it has thickened into a silky sauce. It makes a delicious dip for ripe berries, you can spoon it over pound cake in a pretty glass to make a trifle or parfait, or even just spread it on your morning toast for a bright, citrusy change to your usual butter and jam. But one of my most recent discoveries is to use it to make semifreddo.

An Italian dessert, the word "semifreddo" loosely translates to "partially frozen." It is very light in texture, and the most common comparison I could give would be a frozen mousse. Using our Meyer Lemon Curd, this dessert is incredibly easy to make, and can be presented in a variety of ways: freeze it in individual ramekins for each of your guests, or in a loaf pan that's been lined with plastic wrap so you can un-mold it easily and slice it into individual portions. Top it with berries and whipped cream, toasted almonds, or crushed ginger snaps - or better yet, serve slices between two of our Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies!

Just Baked SLO's Meyer Lemon Semifreddo
Yields approx. 3 cups
One 8oz tub Meyer Lemon Curd
1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Using a hand mixer, whip the cream in a medium sized bowl. When the cream begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form and the cream has doubled in volume. Gently fold the lemon curd into the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate it too much in the process.

Spoon the mixture into your vessel(s) of choice, and cover with plastic wrap (if you are putting it in a loaf pan, line the pan with plastic wrap first to make it easy to unmold the finished dessert). Be sure the wrap touches the semifreddo so it does not form a skin. Place in the freezer, and allow to firm up.

Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving. Pair with your choice of toppings, or serve plain.

Thank you!

Ah, the first blog post! Why do these always feel like a blind date?? I guess I will start by letting you know that this blog is intended to keep you up to date about all the things we are up to here at Just Baked SLO, and give you a little bit of insight to the things that inspire us, some tricks of the trade, and just generally help you to get to know what makes us tick!

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-A.F.