Vanilla Semifreddo With Raspberry Sauce

This refreshing dessert received oohs and aahs from the family.
It looks impressive and maybe a little intimidating to make, but it is easier than you might think. It is basically 3 elements coming together in sweet harmony, whipped egg yolks, whipped egg whites and whipped cream. Blended together and frozen you get a soft ice cream-like or mousse-like beauty of a dessert that made me close my eyes and sigh... The refreshing raspberry sauce melds perfectly with the sweet creamy semifreddo. and with the fresh berries this is simply heaven on a plate!

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for greasing the pan
5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces frozen or fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar
Fresh berries for serving

Preparation:

Lightly oil an 8x4 loaf pan and line it as neatly as possible with plastic wrap, allowing enough to drape over the sides to later cover the top. Place pan in the freezer.

Put the egg yolks (reserve 1/3 cup of the egg whites) and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium heatproof bowl and beat with a handheld mixer for 2 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. Place the pan over a pot of simmering water and beat the mixture continually for 3 minutes, until doubled in volume and warm to the touch. Off the heat, beat the mixture for 1 minute more. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the reserved egg whites, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cream of tartar and beat on high speed until the whites form firm, but not dry peaks Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Without washing the mixer or whisk, pour the cold heavy cream and the vanilla extract into the bowl and whisk on high speed until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream gently but thoroughly into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, wrap plastic over to cover.

Freeze for at least 4 hours (or up to a month!). To unmold, dip the pan in a a bowl of hot tap water for 10 seconds and turn the semifreddo upside down onto a rectangular serving plate. Peel off the plastic wrap.(You can refreeze the semifreddo for a few hours on the serving plate). Slice and serve with raspberry sauce, recipe follows below, and fresh berries.

Raspberry sauce:
12 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries
2 tablespoons (or more) powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Place all ingredient in a blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.Strain sauce over a bowl through a sieve and discard seeds. Sauce will keep refrigerated for at least a week.

Serves 8


Recipe adapted from Ina Garten