Strawberry Meringue with Vanilla Semifreddo
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These fanciful treats are fit for a party tray and can be mostly prepared ahead of time.
Ingredients
Meringue
- 2 egg whites
- 2 packets of low sugar/ sugar free jelly (about 26gms each x 2 (52 gm approx) or just under 2 oz)
- 6 tbsp of sugar
Semi Freddo
- 4 large eggs ( if very small use 6)
- 1 cup (240 ml) of caster sugar
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) of water
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 600ml cream beaten to soft peak
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chocolate sauce and berries
Instructions
Strawberry Meringue
- Mix the jelly crystals and sugar in a bowl and set aside
- Using a clean bowl, on a stand mixer, beat the egg whites till soft peak. Gradually add the sugar mixture a bit at a time letting the sugar dissolve between each addition until the mixture is glossy and firm like pink shaving foam.
- Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe into individual circles keeping even and flat. I draw a circle onto the paper so that I make a perfect circle.
- Bake at 120 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours.(check by touching, they should be firm but not quite finished) Turn off the oven and leave till cool.
Vanilla Semifreddo.
- Beat the cream to soft peak put into a medium sized bowl and refrigerate till later
- Clean the bowl and add the eggs . Beat till the eggs are tripled in volume and are light and fluffy
- Meanwhile , put the sugar split vanilla pod and the water into a small pot and melt. Let the mixture come to the boil without reducing. Remove the vanilla and gradually add the syrup to the eggs while beating. Keep beating till the eggs are cool. The mixture will be glossy and light .
- Fold the eggs 1/2 at a time gradually into the cream.
- Spread onto a tray 5-6cm deep or a muffin tin. Freeze overnight (or a loaf tin if you prefer)
- Tip the ice cream onto a bench on a piece of parchment and cut out rounds with a round cutter and refreeze as you go or Release from the muffin tin (sit the base on a warm cloth and run a hot knife around the diameter before turning out. You can make the little rounds ahead of time and refreeze till you need them.
- Serve sandwiched with the meringue just before you serve with chocolate sauce & strawberries
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the sugar-free jelly do in the meringue?
The two packets of low-sugar jelly crystals (about 52 g total) are mixed with 6 tbsp of sugar and beaten into the egg whites gradually. The jelly acts as both a flavoring and a colorant — it gives the meringue its pink strawberry color and adds flavor without extra liquid that would destabilize the foam.
Why are the eggs for the semifreddo beaten with a hot sugar syrup?
Pouring a hot sugar syrup (melted with a split vanilla pod and 4 tbsp water) into the beating eggs creates a pâte à bombe — cooking the eggs safely while building volume and stability. The mixture must then be beaten until completely cool before folding into the 600 ml of cream whipped to soft peaks.
How do I unmold the semifreddo rounds without them sticking?
The recipe says to sit the muffin tin base on a warm cloth and run a hot knife around each portion’s diameter before turning out. If using a tray instead, tip it onto parchment and cut rounds with a round cutter, refreezing as you go. Make the rounds ahead and refreeze until needed. 
Can the meringues and semifreddo be made ahead separately?
Yes — the instructions specify baking the meringues, leaving them in the oven until cool, and freezing the semifreddo overnight. The recipe then says to sandwich them together just before serving, not in advance.
