Strawberry Semifreddo with strawberry sauce

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs (675g) fresh strawberries
• 3/4 cup (150g) sugar ((separate the sugar into 100g (½ cup) and 50g (¼ cup))
• 2 cups (450g) heavy cream ((double cream UK))
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps

1. 1

   Wash and chop the strawberries into small pieces and add them to a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup (100g) of sugar (photos 1 and 2).

2. 2

   Bring to a boil and then simmer until the strawberries have broken down and thickened (about 12-13 minutes). Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Remove 1/3 cup of strawberry sauce and set aside for serving (refrigerate it once cool) (photos 3 and 4).

3. 3

   Whisk the 1/4 cup (50g) sugar and 3 egg yolks in a bowl over a pot of hot water until pale and thick. I use a hand whisk over the double boiler for about 5 minutes to temper them, then remove from the heat and use an electric whisk to whip until pale and thick (photos 5 and 6).

4. 4

   Remove from the heat and add the strawberry sauce to the egg mixture. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then transfer it to the freezer for 20-30 minutes until completely cold (photos 7 and 8).

5. 5

   Once cold, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks; be careful not to overwhip. Fold the cream 1/3 at a time through the cold strawberry mixture. If you notice lots of lumps of cream, use a hand whisk to gently whisk the mixture (photos 9 and 10).

6. 6

   Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, making sure the top is also covered. Let it set for at least 5-6 hours. Remove from the freezer around 15 minutes before serving. Cut it into slices and serve with the remaining strawberry sauce (photos 11 and 12).