Strawberry cheesecake semifreddo

A probiotic dessert everyone can enjoy!

Not all frozen desserts need to be overly sweet and rich. This strawberry cheesecake semifreddo is refreshingly light but will hit the spot if you’re craving a little cold, creamy decadence. We used dripped homemade yogurt cream cheese to give this strawberry semifreddo a tangy, cheesecake-like flavour. Roasted buckwheat or crushed nuts add a delightful crunch to the creaminess. It’s sugar free and gluten free.

Semifreddo means ‘half-cold’ in Italian and refers to a chilled or half-frozen dessert that’s traditionally made with eggs, cream and sugar. When served, the consistency should be cold and mousse-like but not icy. We have left out all the above ingredients and relied on the creaminess of homemade cream cheese for body and used honey and fruit for sweetness.

The recipe is easy but some forward planning is required. Once you have homemade yogurt, dripped in a muslin cloth to remove the whey you are ready to begin. Semifreddo requires no churning in an ice cream maker - all you need is a blender. The Vibe Blender will give you superior creaminess! The process is as simple as making a smoothie and takes just as long. The hardest part is waiting for the semifreddo to properly chill—five hours at least—and then for an additional 30 minutes when it thaws.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT HERE 

INGREDIENTS

Nut Crumble Base
¾ cup of activated buckwheat or crushed nuts of your choice.
Approx. 8 strawberries chopped
2 teaspoons of honey
Pinch of salt 

Ice cream
2 ½ - 3 cups of dripped yogurt cream cheese
1 punnet of strawberries, washed and ends cut off
2 bananas
1/3 cup of honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

METHOD

1.   Prepare a small loaf tin by lining it with baking paper, making sure to leave enough overhang on each side. If using a silicon pan, lining is not required.
2.   Start with the nut crumble. In a small pan, roast the crushed nuts, chopped strawberries and honey together. Stir continuously until caramelised and golden.

3.   Remove from the heat, then spoon into the base of the loaf pan. Spread to the corners to coat the bottom of the pan then set aside to make the ice cream.
4.   Add all the ice cream ingredients into the Vibe Blender jug, blend on ‘smoothie’ mode until creamy and well combined.

5.   Pour into the loaf pan.
6.   Place into the freezer to chill for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. (leaving overnight will require more time defrosting)
7.   Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before serving.
8.   Turn the dessert out on a serving platter.
9.   When the edges start to ooze it is ready to slice.
10.  Once sliced, it is worth letting it sit until it loses its icy appearance before eating.

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