Eat Some Wear Some
Memorial Day weekend might be wrapping up but that means summer has officially arrived. And it’s a short work week so we’ve got that goin’ for us! This has already become a summer staple – i mean testing these recipes is a tough job but someone has to do it and I plan to mix things up as more summer fruits arrive (I am particularly excited about some sort of peachy goodness).
Almond Semifreddo w/ Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Serves:
6-8 servings
Ingredients
Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
Almond Crunch:Â Â
1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
¼ cup sugar
½ cup (4oz) almond paste
½ tsp kosher salt
Â
Custard Base:Â
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup sugar
2 tbl water
Rhubarb Compote:
½ lb rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ lb strawberries, hulled and quartered
½ cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon
Preparation
Make Whipped Cream: Whip the heavy cream to stiff peak and set aside in the fridge.
Make Almond Crunch: Combine almonds, sugar, almond paste and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Set aside.
Make Custard Base: Combine egg, egg yolks, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk and mix on med/high speed until pale yellow and ribbon consistency, about 5-7 minutes (test this by lifting the whisk out, whatever drips off should stay on the surface for a second then disappear).
In a small sauce pan combine ½ cup sugar with the 2 tbl water and mix to get all of the sugar wet. Bring to "soft ball" stage (235˚F) and immediately pour into egg mixture - pour very slowly (allowing sugar to run down the side of the bowl) with mixer on low/med. Once all of the sugar is added, increase mixing speed and whip until the bowl feels room temp - about 5 minutes.
Fold whipped cream into the egg mixture then add about a ½ cup of this to almond mix so it becomes pasty and clumpy.
Assemble: Line a 9x4 loaf pan with parchment. Add about ⅓ of the the whipped cream mixture, top with ½ of the almond mix and repeat layers so you end with the cream mix on top.
Freeze a few hours - 8 is ideal but 4 will do.
Make Rhubarb Compote: Combine compote ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat the fruit in sugar. Let this mixture macerate in the fridge for 1-3 hours.
Cook over low heat until the fruit starts to break down, about 10 minutes. Let cool before serving
To serve, remove from loaf pan using the parchment - if it feels stuck let sit a minute or dip the pan quickly in hot water. Slice with a knife (run under hot water if you are having trouble).
Serve with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
This will keep for a week in the freezer - once it is frozen wrap with plastic.
If you aren't a fan of almond flavor - substitute any nut you like, adding an extra cup to substitute for the paste - just know the consistency of the mix will be different but it will absolutely work.
If you dont' have rhubarb use any fruit you want!