How to make Eton mess semifreddo

I made this semifreddo with strawberries and meringues – or Eton Mess, for Le Creuset just before I left for Italy and it’s a great frozen dessert that doesn’t require an ice cream churner. I also love Eton mess because who doesn’t like meringues smashed with strawberries and cream?

Le Crueset has recently launched their oh-so-pretty Sorbet set of bowls and ice cream coups just in time for summer so I styled this recipe using these. Serve the semifreddo with extra slices of strawberries and crumbled meringue.

*Notes on the recipe ~ To release more of the pink colour into the semifreddo, crush their strawberries with a potato masher. I used store-bought meringues for convenience, but making your own is obviously so much better

Recipe – makes about 1.5 liters

Eton mess semifreddo recipe

A delicious Eton mess semifreddo. A frozen dessert that doesn't need an ice cream churner.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:10 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 250 gm strawberries stems removed and finely chopped
• 1 Tbs caster sugar
• juice of half a lemon about 1 Tbsp
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper optional
• 3 whole free-range eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups / 500ml single cream
• 100 gms meringues crumbled (small pieces and crumbs)

Instructions

• Chop the strawberries into small pieces and put them in a bowl with a tablespoon of caster sugar, lemon juice and a light grinding of black pepper. Toss and allow to macerate while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
• Break the eggs into a bowl that will be suitable to go over a pot of boiling water. Add the sugar and vanilla. Place the bowl over the simmering water but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk for 6 – 8 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume thicken and becomes pale and fluffy. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Whip the cream until the soft peak stage.
• Add the macerated strawberries to the egg mixture and fold through. Crush the fruit a little with a potato masher if you want to release more of a pink colour. Add the meringues and fold through lightly.
• Finally, add the whipped cream and very lightly fold this through to combine. Decant into a metal tin and freeze until it sets (overnight). * pre-freezing the metal tin helps the semifreddo freeze more quickly.
• Once frozen scoop out and serve with a few extra sliced strawberries and crumbled meringue (optional).

Servings: 1 .5 litres

Author: Sam Linsell

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