how2heroes » Toasted Almond Semifreddo w/ Lemon Curd

Dessert & Baked Goods » Toasted Almond Semifreddo w/ Lemon Curd

Assembling layers of meringue and a creamy lemon filling may seem daunting. But once you see the process, you'll be hooked. It's a great do-ahead recipe that'll free you up to enjoy the company of friends, knowing dessert is chillin' in the freezer. Serve this gluten-free masterpiece with a dollop of whipped cream and you'll agree it's worth the effort.

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Ingredients

Decide which mold to use. In this video a 3" round was used. Line mold with parchment paper, otherwise it will be hard to remove

Almond Meringue Cookie

1 cup sugar
½ cup egg whites
1 cup ground almonds
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla

Lemon Curd

5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
zest and juice of 2 large lemons, approximately ½ cup
4 oz butter

Toasted Almond Semifreddo Base

3 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1⅓ cups heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup toasted almond flour (toast almonds, grind them or use almond flour & gently toast in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until light gold in co
½ tsp bitter almond extract
1 tbsp liqueur of choice

How-to

Make Almond Meringue Cookie

Preheat oven to 225º
Trace the mold you are going to use onto parchment paper. You will need 2 layers per semifreddo (or more, if you are working with a loaf pan and like meringue), so trace it enough times to produce the requisite number of pieces (number of molds x 2 at least). Place on sheet pan(s), marker side down
Combine sugar, salt and eggs and in a double boiler whisk over heat until about 140º then finish off in the stand mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Add in vanilla extract, mix well then fold in almonds. Pipe immediately into traced mold template
Bake for 1½- 2 hours, or until dry. It will soften up in the freezer over time. Just don't over-bake or burn it
If you are not using it right away, store in an airtight container. Holds up to 3 days

Make Lemon Curd

In a bain marie (double boiler) over simmering water OR directly over burner in heavy-bottomed pan, combine butter, egg yolks, zest, sugar, salt and juice. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thick. Push through a strainer to remove zest and coagulated egg
Use immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
You'll use about ½ of this recipe in your semifreddo

Make Toasted Almond Semifreddo

Combine eggs and salt and sugar in bowl of stand mixer and whisk over a bain marie until sugar is dissolved and mixture feels hot to the touch. Mix on med-high speed until cooled and slightly firmer than ribbon stage. Fold in almonds and liqueur
Whip cream with almond and vanilla extracts until almost firm - do not over-whip
Gently fold the egg mixture into the whipped cream.

Assemble the Semifreddo

In your parchment-lined mold or molds, place a meringue cookie
Spoon in enough semifreddo mixture to cover it
Using a pastry bag or a spoon, place a dollop of lemon curd in the center of the mold (or, if you are using a loaf pan, put a long thick line down the middle). Cover with semifredo
Place another cookie on top of the semifreddo. Spoon more semifreddo over top to cover
Freeze for at least 6 hours before serving. Remove from freezer at least 5-10 minutes before serving to allow semifreddo to soften up