As beautiful as it is delicious, semifreddo is literally frozen cream, not as dense and rich as an ice cream but with all the satisfaction of a frozen creamy mouthful. Plus, no ice cream machine needed!

The process for this single-layer semifreddo is, not counting the super easy meringue cake base, very simple to make in three steps. One step for eggs, one step for fruit and one more for cream. Put it all together, hit the freezer, and your work is basically done. 6 hours later or ideally one day later, the semifreddo is ready to unmold and dazzle. On that note, let me tell you about the cake. A thin layer of doughy goodness contrasting so well with the smooth creamy top that you’ll never want to do it without it. Besides, it’s a dead simple, one-bowl recipe that uses all the leftover egg whites in the most perfect and easy way.

Now, on the equipment side, if a terrine dish is not precisely part of your bakeware, don’t worry, presentation is flexible. Surely the terrine look is dramatic but it can also be scooped, like ice cream, and served in glasses with some fruit coulis, fresh fruit or any other garnish that speaks to you. Maybe, you’d like to still make the cake and cut it into small cubes, just saying ;)

Now, on the equipment side, if a terrine dish is not precisely part of your bakeware, don’t worry, presentation is flexible. Surely the terrine look is dramatic but it can also be scooped, like ice cream, and served in glasses with some fruit coulis, fresh fruit or any other garnish that speaks to you. Maybe, you’d still like to make the cake and cut it into small cubes, just saying ;)

What you need:

For the semifreddo (serves 8 to 10 people)

*1 ½ cups mango puree from 3 to 4 fresh mangos, peeled (the amount depends on the variety of mango you have. A Tommy Atkins or Keitt—the fat green/red type more commonly available, have a greater yield but are less sweet than the slimmer yellow colored varieties such as Ataulfo, Manila or Champagne.

2 mangoes for décor, I prefer ataulfo or champagne for their soft sweet pulp, but any other type will do.

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp fresh lime juice

pinch salt

½ to ¾ cup sugar, to taste

2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

some mint leaves for garnish

A terrine dish (for between 3 to 3 1/2 cups)

For the Cake Base: (optional)

6 large egg whites

pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup crumbled nutty cookies—about 5 cookies. I use Tate’s Bake Shop macadamia-white chocolate cookies (nuts add texture but you can use any other nut-free cookie if you prefer)

*NOTES:

a) Try to use fresh mango as opposed to frozen—the flavor is much more bright and pure.

b) For those not very comfortable separating eggs, and easy way is with your hand, letting the egg white slip off your fingers.

c) If you are making the cake base, start with that and let it cool down while you make the semifreddo.

To Make the Semifreddo:

1) PREP WORK: Slightly oil the terrine dish and cover with plastic wrap leaving some 3 inches hanging on the sides so you can take it out later.

2) FRUIT: Pass your mango puree through a sieve or colander to get rid of any fibers in the pulp. Combine pulp with lime juice. Peel one of the decorative mangoes and cut it into cubes.

3) EGG: In a heat-proof bowl add the yolks, sugar and pinch salt. Set the bowl in a bain-marie over a saucepan filled 1/3 of the way with boiling water or enough to release steam and transfer heat to the bowl without making contact with it. Beat the yolk mixture with an electric beater or whisk until yolks are doubled their size and are not granular to the touch—about 5 minutes. Set bowl aside to cool down.

4) CREAM: Beat cream to soft peaks, add vanilla and a Tbs sugar and beat again just until combined.

5) PUT IT TOGETHER: Add in mango puree with yolk mixture and combine, then fold in the cream. Mix in the mango cubes and transfer the semifreddo to the terrine dish. Cover and freeze for 24 hrs. Or, put a cake base as per next step. Cake recipe follows.

6) DECORATE: Peel the remaining mango and cut it into cubes and/or diagonal strips. This step can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed. Right before serving, unmold the terrine. Put a warm damp kitchen towel on the bottom of the dish to loosen it up. Once you fill it releases itself easily, put your serving plate on top and flip it. Take out the plastic wrap. Decorate the top with the cut fruit and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Note: The more frozen it is the easier will be to cut into neat beautiful slices. You can slice and serve. Or, slice and put the plate back in the freezer and take it out when you are ready to serve. The slices will separate with ease.

To Make the Cake:

1) Preheat oven to 350.F (120.C) Coat a small baking tray with oil and line with parchment paper. Slightly spray again with oil.

2) Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until mixture is white opaque. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until soft peaks.

3) Fold in the crumbled cookies.

4) Pour cake mixture in the tray and shape it into a neat rectangle that is large enough to cover the terrine top. The cake mixture is thick enough to stay in place without spreading all over the tray as it bakes. Bake for 10/15 minutes or until the cake is springy and top doesn’t feel sticky. To be extra safe, you can use a roll of aluminum foil to divide the tray.

5) Let the cake cool down completely and cut out a cover for the semifreddo. Put it on top and gently press down on it so it sticks. Cover the whole dish with plastic wrap and freeze for 24 hrs before unmolding.

The Alternate Presentation:

Now I get it, there are times when you can’t be bother with all that fuzz, but even then, semifreddo has your back. It can happily be contained in a freezer-friendly container and be scooped when you feel like it. How’s that for flexibility!

Mango Semifreddo

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