Cantaloupe Semifreddo

I want to buy an ice cream maker.  The thought of making various flavor combinations of ice cream with natural (and pronounceable) ingredients makes me excited.  However, I’m finding it difficult to dish out the dough for an ice cream maker (A graduate student until very recently = tight budget!).  Well, it turns out that semifreddos (Italian for half-cold) are partially frozen ice cream-like desserts that do not require churning!  I had to try it. If this is as good as it seems, then here comes a summer of flavor experiments!

Wait for the verdict at the end of the post!

Cantaloupe Semifreddo

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

2.5 cups cantaloupe

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

Pinch of salt

¼ cup agave syrup (or 1/3 cup sugar)

1 cup chilled whipping cream

Instructions

1.       Line a spring-form pan (or other mold such as a bread pan) with plastic wrap.

2.       Puree fruit in a blender. Add lemon juice.

3.       In a metal bowl, beat eggs, pinch of salt, and agave syrup with handheld mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until doubled in volume.

4.       Set bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of boiling water and beat for 7 minutes (or until it reaches 160^○F).

5.       Remove from heat and chill (place in an ice bath to speed things up).

6.       Fold in fruit puree.

7.       In a separate bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold into cantaloupe mixture.

8.       Scoop mixture into mold and freeze for 2 hours.

9.       To serve, use the plastic wrap to pull the semifreddo out of the mold and onto a plate to slice.

Notes: I divided the semifreddo into 2 pans and made a 2 tiered dessert, but there’s no need to do this.

Line pan with plastic wrap.

Cantaloupe puree and egg mixture.

Before freezing.

Verdict:  Creamy yet icy! Perfectly sweet and great cantaloupe flavor.  Would also be good as ice pops!