Way back in the day I shared a wonderfully easy alternative to classicly churned ice cream with my first semifreddo recipe. We'll talk more about what semifreddo actually is in detail later on in this post, but for now, let me just tell you that it's an amazing lighter alternative to ice cream. Much like ice cream though, it's a versatile base that can be flavored with just about anything including sauces and mix-in items. This delicious version has a vanilla-lemon base that's flavored with swirls of homemade blueberry sauce, subtle lemon flavor, and bits of homemade cheesecake bites throughout which add even more creaminess. All the flavor and texture combinations in this compact light dessert really make this the perfect summer treat.
If you know me, you know that I appreciate all things Italian. The culture, the country, the language and of course the food. The Italians are well-known for taking simple ingredients and making them shine. Simplicity is the key in Italian food and I really appreciate that. They somehow carry that mentality to desserts as well, which is hard to imagine. While many want to overcomplicate desserts, the Italians say "no way!" They want simple ingredients to shine. They want smaller portions and lighter desserts. Semifreddo is a great example of that. Semifreddo literally translates to "semi-frozen." That's what semifreddo is. It's a half-frozen mousse. Much lighter than ice cream, but with the same creaminess. It's very easy to make and very versatile. You can flavor a semifreddo pretty much anyway you'd like. You can also serve it anyway you'd like. Me, I decided to not overcomplicate it. I made a vanilla semifreddo and served it with strawberry sauce and a few fresh strawberries. The next day, I made a fresh strawberry compote. I served it slightly warm and oh my gosh was it delicious. The cold and warm contrast in desserts always works best. What I'm saying is, flavor and serve as you please! Learn the technique and have some fun with it.
