Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: About 30 minutes, plus time to freeze
Somewhere between a soufflé and a semifreddo, this gets its airiness from whipped cream and whipped egg whites, and sets up in the freezer. This makes it a good summer dessert that works with fresh or thawed frozen fruit; feel free to swap the berries for any chopped soft fruit, like mango or peach.
1. Purée the berries with the lemon juice and pass through a strainer to remove any seeds, pressing the pulp with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible; the yield will vary depending on the berries you use, but you want about 2 cups.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk the egg yolks with ¾ cup of the sugar until light and very thick; the mixture will fall in a ribbon from the ends of the beaters when ready (see illustration, page 345). Stir in the berry purée.
3. Thoroughly wash the beaters, then beat the egg whites and salt in a clean bowl until they hold soft peaks; continue to beat, gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup sugar, until they are very stiff but still glossy. Stir a good spoonful of the whites thoroughly into the berry mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites (see illustrations, page 56).
4. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold it very gently into the egg mixture. Turn into a 1½- to 2-quart serving dish or smaller individual dishes, smoothing the tops with a spatula or butter knife, and freeze for several hours before serving.
FROZEN CHERRY-CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ Melt 4 ounces chopped dark chocolate and set aside to cool. Purée 2 cups chopped pitted cherries and strain; stir the juice into the chocolate mixture and proceed with the recipe. Dust with cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar before serving.