VANILLA, WHITE CHOCOLATE & PISTACHIO SEMIFREDDO
SERVES 8-10
Dry out the vanilla pod on a wire rack overnight to use in the sweet plum sauce recipe (p 130) used in the baked ricotta cheesecake (p 131). Begin this recipe 1 day ahead. You will need a sugar thermometer.
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped 350ml thickened cream 5 egg yolks, plus 2 eggwhites 200g caster sugar 100g white chocolate, chopped 200g pistachios, finely chopped, plus
extra chopped to serve
Grease a 4-cup (1L) loaf pan and line with baking paper, leaving 5cm overhanging the edges. Place vanilla seeds and cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to just before stiff peaks. Transfer to a bowl and chill until needed.
Place egg yolks in cleaned stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Place 60g sugar and 2 tbs water in a saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Start whisking the egg yolks. With the motor running, gradually add sugar mixture to egg yolks in a steady stream until completely combined. Continue whisking for 5 minutes or until cooled to room temperature. Transfer egg yolk mixture to a clean bowl.
To make the meringue, place eggwhites in the cleaned stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Place remaining 140g sugar and 2 tbs water in a saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, until temperature reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer. At this point, start whisking the eggwhites. Continue boiling the sugar mixture until temperature reaches 121°C. With the motor running, gradually add sugar mixture to eggwhites in a steady stream until completely combined. Continue whisking for 5 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
Fold the white chocolate and pistachios into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the meringue, then fold through vanilla cream. Pour mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the surface, then freeze overnight or until frozen.
To serve, leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Scatter with extra pistachios and use a hot knife to cut into slices.
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