About the Recipe
If you love cheesecake, this one's for you! Cheesecake ice cream is right up there as one of my favorite ways to indulge... and this semifreddo hits the spot. Light with whipped eggs and cream, while rich with cheesecake flavor, it's perfectly balanced and just too good.
Ingredients
Strawberry Swirl:
2 cups roughly chopped strawberries
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Cheescake Semifreddo:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
Preparation
Strawberry Swirl
In a small pot, simmer strawberries, sugar and lemon juice over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 min. or until only small chunks of fruit remain visible.
Chill for at least 20 min. or until cool.
Cheesecake Semifreddo
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip to combine cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 min. Add lemon, vanilla and salt and whip to combine.
On low speed, slowly pour in cream, adding a bit at a time and waiting until the mixture is smooth before adding more. Work quickly and don't overwhip while adding. When all the cream has been added, whip to medium peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted over a pot with at least 1" of simmering water, gently whisk egg, egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar over low heat until the mixture is very warm to the touch (165°F).
Remove from heat and transfer to mixer. Whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy and tripled in volume. When lifted, the whisk should leave a trail behind that remains suspended.
Gently fold one half of egg mixture into whipped cream cheese, then the remaining half.
Sprinkle 2 Tbs. graham cracker crumbs into a 9x5" loaf pan. Top with 1/3 cream cheese mixture, and 1/3 strawberry mixture. Repeat two more times. Finish with remaining graham cracker crumbs.
Freeze for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Set at room temp. for 10 min. before scooping and serving.