Lemon Semifreddo with Boysenberry Compote

Bruce Marder (Capo, Cora’s Coffee Shop, House Café) recently opened the charming Red Rooster Bakery in Santa Monica. Along with bagels, crostadas, and other sweet and savory treats, he’ll be serving chilly delights like this delicious semifreddo. After all, nobody wants to stand around a bunch of hot ovens come July. The name says it all (if you happen to speak Italian): It’s a superiorly airy, partially frozen custard, here blanketed in a seasonal boysenberry compote—which works just as well on a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

Lemon Semifreddo
4 egg yolks
6 oz. granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup)
2 oz. filtered water (about 1/4 cup)
3 oz. fresh lemon juice (about 1/3 cup or 6 tablespoons)
Zest of one lemon – minced
½ tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. whipping cream (about 1 1/2 cups)

Boyesenberry Compote
4 oz. fresh boysenberries (about 3/4 cup)
4 oz. granulated sugar (about 1/2 cup)
½ tsp. corn starch
1 oz. filtered water (about 2 tablespoons)

Directions: 4 people

 

Lemon Semifreddo
Whip cream to soft peaks. Refrigerate. Whip egg yolks to light and fluffy with a wisk or electric mixer.
In a small sauce pan, mix sugar and water and simmer  to 250 degrees using a sugar thermometer. Whip water and sugar mixture slowly into the whipped egg yolks and continue whipping until it comes to room temperature. Wisk in lemon juice and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Portion into 4 bowls and freeze for 30 minutes.

Boysenberry compote
Mix boysenberries and sugar together and simmer to
for 5 min.  Mix corn starch and water and add to
boysenberries off the fire. Bring to simmer again until
the mixture thickens slightly. Refrigerate.

Leave semifreddo out of the freezer 10 minutes
before serving. Add compote and serve.

 

Red Rooster Bakery, 1013 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica