Mixed Berry Semifreddo

*Please Note: This was a pre-scheduled post, as my hubby and I are enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation for a couple of weeks. Please do stop by and comment…just know that I won’t be able to reply for a while. I appreciate you all!*

Semifreddo? Have you ever heard of it? I hadn’t until I saw THIS version of it from one of my fellow foodie bloggers, Julia at Swirls and Spice.  I knew as soon as I saw it that I just had to make this wonderful sweet treat myself! You know how I love my sweets! Eating low-glycemic & using no refined sugars doesn’t stop this girl! It just gives me a challenge…a challenge I am always happy to embark on! 🙂

So to my fellow party goers at Fiesta Friday, I am bringing this smooth, creamy, icy, and fresh mixed berry semifreddo.

I did some research on this dessert, since I knew nothing about it,  and found these interesting facts:

• It means “half-cold” in Italian
• It is a partially frozen Italian dessert
• You often see it in cake form
• Once they have been frozen, you can flip them upside down and get them out of their container, and serve that way, which looks really neat.

One of my favorite things I came across was this statement made in a Canadian online newspaper. The person said that semifreddo is “simple elegance at its best, with the emphasis on simple.” Ah, I love that, and couldn’t agree more! Although if I showed you the mess in my kitchen you might not agree with the simple part. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I am questioning it myself. 🙂 Here, let me show you…

Ya, that didn’t feel so simple! 🙂 And would you believe that this was just a little bit of the mess? Of course you would! And if not, just ask Jhuls, Justine, or Patty! 🙂 I really, really try not to be a messy cook…honestly… but these things just sort of happen to me….over and over and over again. Seriously! Tonight alone, I spilled this yumminess all over, I stepped on some raspberries and smeared the juice all over the floor, I got egg yolk all over the counter, when I picked my phone up I realized it had been laying in honey (ugh!), several times I stirred the berry curd right over into the burner, my pan began to overflow and pour all over the stove as I scrambled to find a larger one, and I turned the hand mixer on in mid air! Yep, cream all over me and the kitchen…not for the first time, as you all know. 🙂

Yes, I might definitely disagree with the simple part. 🙂

*Created by Lori at Creating Beauty in the Kitchen from the inspiration of THIS recipe at Swirls and Spice.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
• 1 1/2 cups honey + more for Homemade whipped cream
• 4 egg yolks
• Pure vanilla extract
• 1 can refrigerated coconut milk

Directions:

• Separate 4 egg yolks from their whites and put into a large food processor.
• Add the fruit and 1 1/2 cups honey and blend until pureed.
• Because there will be a lot of seeds in your puree, use a strainer with very tiny holes to get as much of them out as possible.
• In a large saucepan, cook the puree on about medium low, stirring often. I did this for about 15-17 minutes. It thickens as you go. I read that it is important that you don’t let it boil though, so watch out for that. Mine started too, and I think that changed it a bit.
• After the allotted time, take it off the stove and stir for a few more minutes, letting it continue to thicken.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• While cooling, make the homemade whipping cream. Combine the thick, refrigerated coconut milk with honey and some vanilla.
• When the puree has cooled to room temperature, gently fold it into your whipped cream.
• Put it in whatever container you would like (if you plan on flipping it over and want it to be a certain shape, the container you use is important.)
• Put a lid or plastic wrap on it and let freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.
• When ready to serve, turn container upside down and run hot water over it until the semifreddo seems ready to easily pop out of the container.
• Once you pop it out, serve with fresh berries.

I loved the way this turned out! So creamy and yummy! Hope the rest of you at FF enjoy it as well!

Grateful to all of you…I am continuing to learn so much from you all! Also thankful for Angie at The Novice Gardener and her co-hosts for this awesome weekly gathering! And thankful to my friend, Jhuls, who is linking me up to the party this week while I am away from the computer! ❤