Peach Semifreddo

Peach semifreddo is a fresh and scrumptious dessert, perfect for the warm months. Here’s how to prepare it with an all-Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe peaches
• 250 ml of fresh cream for desserts
• 100 g of sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 packet of vanillin or the seeds of a vanilla pod
• 50 ml of peach juice or another fruit juice to make the semifreddo softer
• 100 g of crumbled amaretti biscuits
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Start by peeling the peaches and cutting them into pieces. Place the pieces in a blender and blend until a puree is obtained.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanillin (or vanilla seeds) until the mixture is light and frothy.
3. In another bowl, whip the fresh cream with a pinch of salt until it is firm.
4. Gently fold the peach puree into the yolk and sugar mixture, stirring with delicate movements from top to bottom to avoid deflating the mixture.
5. Now add the whipped cream, continuing to mix gently.
6. Lastly, add the crumbled amaretti biscuits and stir to distribute them evenly throughout the mixture.
7. Pour the mixture into a plumcake mold lined with clear film, or into containers of your choice, and let it rest in the freezer for at least 4-6 hours.
8. Before serving, remove the semifreddo from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. You might decorate it with fresh peach slices or whole amaretti biscuits.

Curiosity

Semifreddo is a classic Italian cold dessert that can be easily adapted to various types of fruit and ingredients. Its name comes from the texture which is “half cold,” meaning neither solid like ice cream nor liquid like a cream. The presence of amaretti is a small variation that adds crunchiness and an intense almond flavor, typical of many Italian desserts.

If you want to pair a wine with this delicious dessert, a Moscato d’Asti could be an excellent choice to enhance the flavors of the peaches with its fruity and aromatic notes.