Makes about 8 servings
Making a true semifreddo (not just softened ice cream in a loaf pan) is a labor of love: zabaglione + Swiss meringue + whipped cream, all folded together and frozen. Here’s the good news: You can fake it with whipped cream, lemon curd, and marshmallow creme for astounding results. Yes, you’ll have to dirty two bowls. But you don’t have to turn on the stove. And you’ll actually make a cake (more like a bombe) that you can cut into wedges and serve with blueberry sauce (here) or Instant Ginger-Sugar Crisps (here).
2 cups heavy cream
One 7½-ounce jar marshmallow creme
½ cup lemon curd, store-bought or homemade (here)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Line a round high-sided 1-quart baking dish (such as a soufflé dish) with 2 pieces of plastic wrap, leaving enough plastic wrap hanging over the edges to be able to later cover the top. Set the dish in the freezer as you continue with the recipe.
2. Beat the cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until the cream has doubled in volume and holds soft peaks when the beaters are stopped and pulled up, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a second large bowl, fold together the marshmallow creme, lemon curd, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the marshmallow creme mixture so as not to deflate the whipped cream.
5. Scrape and smooth this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Fold the excess plastic wrap over the top to cover. Freeze until cold and set but still soft, about 8 hours.
6. To serve, peel the excess plastic wrap off the surface of the semifreddo. Turn the baking dish upside down on a cutting board or serving platter. Gently wriggle it around, holding onto the plastic wrap, until the semifreddo comes loose and pops out. Remove the dish and any plastic wrap; slice the cake into wedges. You can rewrap any leftovers, set them back in the baking dish, and freeze them again for another time.