White chocolate semifreddo with raspberries and pistachios

Ready in 30 minutes plus freezing Serves 10-12

250g white chocolate, broken into pieces

1 cup cream

4 large egg whites

¼ cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 punnet raspberries fresh or frozen (or 1 cup lightly sweetened tangy fruit puree, e.g. apricot, gooseberry, strawberry)

TO SERVE

1 punnet fresh berries

1 cup chopped pistachios

Line the base and sides of a 6-8 cup loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on either side so the frozen mixture can be easily lifted from the container.

Place chocolate and cream in a pot and gently warm for 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate has softened. Stir to fully melt chocolate then remove from heat and cool. Using a very clean electric beater, beat egg whites, gradually adding sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

Add fully cooled chocolate mixture to beaten egg whites together with vanilla and lemon juice. Fold gently to combine and, once evenly incorporated, gently fold through the raspberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. (If using a fruit puree tip the mixture into prepared tin and then drizzle over fruit puree in a zig-zag pattern over the top, then use a knife to cut through in a few places to create a marbled effect). Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or until solid.

Serve garnished with berries and chopped pistachios. Serves 10-12.

NOTE: This is a great dessert to make in advance and you can slice off what you need, then return the rest to the freezer for another occasion. It will keep happily in the freezer for 3-4 weeks in a tightly covered container.

Match this with ...

Lime Rock Late Harvest Central Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (375ml $28)

Coming up for eight years since Rosie and Rodger Tynan carefully plucked tiny, slightly raisined bunches of sauvignon blanc grapes from the vine, this gloriously gluggable sweet treat just keeps rewarding the taste buds with honeyed apricot, mango and baked apple intensity. I love its passionfruit curd characters and elegant acidity, but at 110g of residual natural sugar, you’ll be wanting to make sure your teeth are cavityfree before swishing this toffeed citrus sensation around your gums, for sure. limerock.co.nz

— Yvonne Lorkin