Fridaylicious: Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo

Thank God It’s Friday, Thank God It’s Delicious!

Being Valentine’s Day, today we couldn’t help but looking for a lovely, tasteful dessert that would sweeten up your day (and/or night!). Although the cold weather is still letting some of us shivering and shaveling in most of the country, our selection fell on a classic and versatile Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo.

Perfect for both after lunch and after dinner, semi-freddo is not as thick as ice-cream, its lighter richness makes it instead more similar to a mousse because made with half ice cream and half whipped cream. Visually more elegant than gelato, with its etherial consistency semi-freddo is often consumed as dessert, and suits perfectly every kind of dinner party.

Limoncello and Raspberry Semi-freddo is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat if you live in a sunny place, such as our beloved Newport Beach. But don’t worry, if you are in one of the regions still affected by the winter storm, this semi-freddo will bring you a little sunshine and works as a sweet excuse to have your partner warming you up while enjoying every bite of this delicious dessert! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:
100 grams (3.5 oz) raspberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
85 grams (3 oz) golden caster sugar
284 ml (1.2 cups) double cream (carton)
4 tbsps Rometti Limoncello
200 ml (0.95 cups) crème fraîche (cartons)
225 grams (8 oz) raspberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
2 tbsps golden caster sugar
2 tbsps Rometti Limoncello
raspberries (extra)

Line the base of a 1kg loaf tin (7.5in x 4.75in x 3.5 deep) with baking parchment. For the semi-freddo, mash the raspberries and half the sugar in a bowl with a fork. Whisk the cream, the rest of the sugar and Rometti Limoncello to soft peaks. Beat the crème fraîche briefly so it is in soft peaks like the cream. Gently fold the cream mixture and crème fraîche together.
Pour the mashed raspberries into the cream and give a few stirs only – just enough to swirl it through the creamy mix. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
For the coulis, mash the raspberries, sugar and Rometti Limoncello with a fork, then push through a sieve.
Open-freeze  the semi-freddo then cover with cling film and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Pour the sieved coulis into a rigid container and freeze for up to 1 month.
To serve, thaw the coulis in the fridge overnight. Thaw the semi-freddo in the fridge for 1 hr. Remove it from the tin and peel off the lining paper. Drizzle with a little of the coulis and scatter some raspberries over the top. Serve in slices with the rest of the coulis.

~Enjoy!

Recipes from http://www.yummly.com

Fridaylicious: White Chocolate Limoncello Truffles

Thank God It’s Friday, Thank God It’s Delicious!

Good things come in small packages, and to be specific this week all the goodness comes in the small, rounded shape of a truffle. Even better if the little chocolate treat features among its ingredients some delicious limoncello, like the White Chocolate Limoncello Truffles we have the spotlight on this week!

We all know that truffles are so called because the original dark chocolate version (rolled in cocoa) resembles the black truffle fungus, but what not everyone knows is that the person who we should thank for such a watering-buds-invention is Auguste Escoffier, who back in 1920s came up with an “accidentally” different recipe of the French chocolate truffles, which originally were in fact a ball of ganache, chocolate and cream flavored in cocoa powder. One day while August was attempting to make pastry cream, he mistakenly poured hot cream into a bowl of chocolate chunks where he should have instead poured sugared egg. Once the mixture hardened he found out that it could have been rolled up into chocolate balls, and the rest is history!

White Chocolate Limoncello Truffles are made with heavy cream, white chocolate, and the addition of Rometti Limoncello which by infusing a bittersweet, zesty flavor to the sweet, delicate mixture elevates it to something definitively heavenly!

Grated white chocolate could be perfect for rolling, however if you want to add a little exotic look (and taste!) to this already simple yet outstanding recipe, coconuts flakes will just be like the cherry on top!

Ingredients (makes about 30):

1/4 cup Heavy cream
1 Lemon zest
8 oz Chopped white chocolate
1 tbsp Rometti Limoncello
Coconut flakes for rolling

Melt the chocolate in bain-marie; add Rometti Limoncello. Stir frequently as white chocolate tends to burn easily.
Heat the cream till nearly boiling then add to the melted chocolate. Stir until thick and velvety. Stir in the lemon zest. Leave to cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until firm enough to work with.
Line a baking tray with non-stick paper. Wearing disposable gloves, scoop a teaspoon of the truffle mixture and roll into balls using the palms of your hands. If the mixture is a bit sticky, dust with icing sugar. Place each rolled truffle on the baking tray; return to the fridge and allow to firm up.
To coat the truffles; use a fork or skewer to dip each truffle into melted white chocolate then return it to the baking tray to set.
Pipe or drizzle some melted dark chocolate across the top of each truffle.
When all the truffles are made, place them back in the fridge for a couple of hours before packing them into cellophane gift bags or chocolate boxes.

Recipe from http://allrecipes.co.uk
Image by Eva Toneva