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How to Make Chef John's Strawberry Semifreddo - A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're looking for a show-stopping dessert that will impress your guests, look no further than Chef John's Strawberry Semifreddo. This frozen dessert is the perfect way to end a summer dinner party, with its creamy texture and refreshing strawberry flavor.

Semifreddo, which means "half-cold" in Italian, is a frozen dessert that falls somewhere between ice cream and mousse. It is light and airy, making it the perfect treat for a warm summer day. Chef John's version of this classic d...

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh strawberries
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • lemon, zested
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar (Optional)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 ¾ cups cold heavy cream
  • 6 shortbread cookies
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 ½ cups diced fresh strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar, or more to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Additional Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
  • Total Time: 4 hrs
  • Servings: 10
  • Yield: 10 5 1/2-ounce ramekins

  • Line 10 ramekins with plastic wrap and place them onto a baking sheet.
  • Hull strawberries with the tip of a knife. Place strawberries in a food processor. Add sugar, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle in a tiny pinch of salt. Pulse on and off to combine; finish pureeing on high until smooth.
  • Whisk heavy cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add the strawberry puree. Stir and fold with a spatula until most of the major streaks disappear. Fill ramekins 1/4 to 1/8 inch from the top with the strawberry mixture. Tap baking sheet against the counter to settle the tops. Cover ramekins in plastic wrap and freeze until mostly firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, place cookies in a resealable plastic bag. Seal; crush cookies through with a rolling pin to get 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Place crumbs into a bowl; add butter and mix well.
  • Divide the cookie crumb mixture among the ramekins and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Cover again and freeze until completely frozen, about 2 hours.
  • Toss diced strawberries with sugar in a bowl. Let rest at room temperature until a syrup forms below the strawberries, about 1 hour.
  • Warm up each ramekin in your hands to help unmold the semifreddo; invert onto a plate. Top with the strawberries in syrup. Thaw for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

    • Nutrition

    289 cal.

    • Total Fat: 22g
    • Saturated Fat: 13g
    • Cholesterol: 71mg
    • Sodium: 88mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 23g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Total Sugars: 17g
    • Protein: 3g
    • Vitamin C: 42mg
    • Calcium: 42mg
    • Iron: 0mg
    • Potassium: 145mg

    Categories

    Dessert recipes
    Fruit recipes
    Frozen recipes
    Italian recipes
    Summer recipes