Recipes Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Ashlee DeCaires
Semifreddo means semi frozen, and while I don’t want to say it’s a cheat’s version of ice cream, it is a heck of a lot easier and you don’t need a machine to make it.
I’ve poached the apricots in moscato, a light sweet summery wine, or you could use a beautiful elderflower cordial instead.
Semifreddo
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1½ cups cream
100g of Amaretti biscuits, crumbed (available at Vetro)
Moscato Apricots
2 cups of moscato
¼ cup sugar
lemon
8–10 apricots, halved and stones removed
To make the semifreddo place the egg yolks and ¾ cup of sugar in a bowl set over a pot with a centimetre or two of water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer while whisking the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
In a sperate bowl whisk the cream to soft peaks.
In a third bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks before slowly adding the remaining ¼ cup sugar and the egg whites are stiff and hold their form.
Bring the three mixes together carefully by folding a third of the cream and a third of the egg white mix into the egg yolks. Repeat this two more times. On the last few folds add the crumbed Amaretti biscuits.
Pour the mix into a lined 24cm x 14cm loaf tin and freeze overnight.
For the Moscato Apricots
Place the moscato, sugar, and 2–3 peels of the lemon in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove the lemon peel and pour over the apricots. The liquid needs to cover all of the apricots, so a large jar is ideal.
Allow to cool before storing at least overnight in the fridge.
To serve, take the semifreddo out of the freezer and using a hot knife slice into 2–3cm slices.
Place this on the plate along with a few of the apricots and a little of the syrup.
Apricot Spritz
What better way to embrace summer and the short apricot season than to add them to your favourite aperitivo!
¼ cup Aperol
⅓ cup apricot puree*
½ cup prosecco
soda water
thyme sprig, for garnish
Fill a large wine glass three quarters full of ice. Pour the Aperol, apricot puree, and prosecco over the ice. Mix well then top with a little soda water. Garnish with the thyme sprig.
*Make the puree by blending some of the moscato apricots (recipe above) or tinned apricots.
