Lemon Meringue Semifreddi Recipes

LEMON SEMIFREDDO RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare a 9"-5" loaf pan by placing parchment paper in the bottom of the pan and a strip of parchment paper around the edges of the pan. Set aside
• Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt to a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, whisking constantly until the mix begins to thicken. If you have a candy thermometer, place it in the mix as it cooks and stop when it reached 170 degrees F (this should take about 4 minutes).
• Remove the curd from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and then add the curd to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat the curd until cooled and very fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the cooled curd into the whipped cream gently.
• Pour the lemon cream into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
• Sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds, pressing them gently onto the surface (this will be the semifreddo "crust").
• Wrap the loaf pan completely with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours, overnight if possible.
• Once frozen, remove from the freezer, take out the plastic wrap and run a sharp knife around the edge of the loaf pan between the parchment and the pan. Flip the dessert onto a serving tray or plate.
• Slice and serve while cold!

LEMON MERINGUE SEMIFREDDI

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Spread mixture evenly in a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Press 3 tablespoons graham mixture firmly into eight 6-ounce glasses. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the curd: Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk eggs, 3 yolks, and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl; discard remaining yolk, or reserve for another use. Add lemon zest and juice, and salt. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter. Strain through a sieve into a medium bowl, then set in ice-water bath, stirring often, until cold.
• Bring corn syrup, water, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, undisturbed, until syrup registers 248 degrees on a candy thermometer. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
• Meanwhile, whisk 4 whites with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, and pour hot syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form and mixture is no longer steaming, about 3 minutes. Add a third of meringue to chilled lemon curd, and whisk until smooth. Fold in remaining meringue in 2 additions.
• Transfer lemon mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch plain round tip. Pipe on top of graham cracker crust, filling to rim. Freeze until filling firms slightly, about 1 hour. Spoon Italian meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch round plain tip, and pipe into each glass, covering evenly and swirling into a peak.
• Hold a small handheld kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle 3 to 4 inches from surface of meringue. Move flame back and forth until meringue starts to brown. Alternatively, heat oven to 500 degrees. Place glasses on a baking sheet, and bake on top rack until meringue begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

LEMON SEMIFREDDO WITH MERINGUES

Steps:

• Prepare the mixture
• PREPARE THE MIXTURE - Firstly whip the cream, which must be very cold, until the mixture is very firm, then store in the fridge. In a glass or ceramic bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1 cup of caster sugar. When the eggs are well beaten add the juice and grated rind of 2 lemons, and the whipped cream. Blend everything until the mixture is smooth.
• SEMIFREDDO - Pour the mixture, alternating it with ¼ lb of crushed meringues in a mold of at least 44 oz, then place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. After this time, immerse the mold in warm water for 10-15 seconds, pass the blade of a knife around the perimeter of the semifreddo and tip on a cooking surface lined with baking paper. Now, quickly garnish the semifreddo with the remaining 5 oz of crushed meringues and place the dessert in the freezer for at least another hour. If, during the process of garnishing the semifreddo, it melts excessively, put it back in the freezer for a few minutes before completing the job.
• FINALS - Remove the semifreddo from the fridge 10 minutes before serving and cut into slices while it is still very cold, sorting the portions into dessert plates. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, until it reaches a creamy consistency without losing its shape.
• ALCOHOLIC OPTION - If you prefer a more "exuberant" semifreddo you can substitute the lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of limoncello, incorporating it into the egg yolks whipped with the remaining ingredients.

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Line a 20cm round tin, preferably loose-based, with cling film, using more than one piece if necessary to cover the bottom and up the sides, and pop in the freezer.
• Roughly break up the meringues with your fingers into a bowl, aiming for nothing bigger than a golf ball.
• Put the cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until starting to stiffen. Stop when it looks floppy, like Greek yogurt.
• Grate over the lemon zest and sprinkle over the gin and meringue rubble. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the cream up, over and round, until just combined.
• Stir the lemon curd so it's gloopy rather than firm; if it remains too thick, dilute with a tsp of gin. Dollop over the surface of the cream. Take your spoon and fold it in, turning the bowl as you do so - no more than a dozen folds, so the curd forms streaks. Spoon gently into the tin and freeze for at least four hours. Once firm, cover with cling film.
• About 10-20 mins before serving, remove the parfait from the freezer, invert onto a plate, peel away the cling film, and return right-side-up, at room temperature. Serve in wedges with lemon curd drizzled over and the fruit on the side.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

LEMON AND AMARETTI SEMIFREDDO WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Puree raspberries with syrup in blender. Strain puree into medium bowl; discard seeds. Cover; chill. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Line 7- to 8-cup loaf pan or other mold with 2 layers of plastic wrap, leaving long overhang. Freeze pan. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Using same beaters, beat cream and remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until peaks form. Fold in lemon peel and cinnamon. Fold large spoonful of cream mixture into whites, then fold whites back into cream in 2 additions. Fold in 3/4 cup amaretti. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap overhang, then foil. Freeze at least 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Remove foil and open plastic. Turn semifreddo out onto platter. Remove pan; peel off plastic. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup amaretti. Serve semifreddo with sauce.