Today is the last day of my featurette of the new cookbook, Stagioni, from Olivia Cavalli. The first dish was Braised Borlotti Beans, followed by Tortini di Ricotta, and now it’s time for some dessert. I literally just ate this for breakfast…it also has a vegetable, so it was technically healthy! One thing is for sure, this is a show-stopper. As I was flipping through the pages, I came across the spread for this dessert and knew it was probably going to end up on my blog. I mean, it starts with semifreddo, studded with one of my favorite spices: saffron! But, any good ice cream cake has bits of cookie, too…so the semifreddo also has layers of broken-up meringue and then is frozen, sliced, and dotted with sautéed, seasonal rhubarb and a little of its syrup. I threw on some extra crumbles on top as well. The result is a perfectly creamy dessert that demonstrates a masterclass of balance between tangy, sweet, and savory!
So, after making three recipes, would I recommend that you get your hands on a copy of Stagioni? Absolutely! Olivia Cavalli’s approach to seasonal cooking is something I try my best to do as well throughout the year. Every week I look at the weather and meal-plan based upon the daily temperature and seasonal offerings. It’s just as important as the pairing of a regional wine to a regionally-specific meal; each go hand-in-hand. She also delivers, nearly an entire cookbook, dishes that are vegetable-forward. I really can only recall one recipe that had some prosciutto. Other than that, classic Italian cooking featuring verdure. This is another great resource for me when I get stuck on vegetable-based meal ideas. The original recipe called for meringue nests which I couldn’t find, so I had to make my own. They’re easy and fun to make, and I have augmented the original recipe to help you along.
Saffron Semifreddo with Rhubarb
adapted from Semifreddo di Zafferano con Rabarbaro, Stagioni, Oliva Cavalli
Meringues
2 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup superfine sugar
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pastry bag fitted with star tip (or a large ziplock bag with a ¼” corner cut away)
Semifreddo
8 oz heavy whipping cream
5 eggs - 5 egg yolks, 3 whites, separated
¾ cup superfine sugar
2 pinches of saffron threads
½ cup confectioners sugar
9” loaf pan
Rhubarb
1 lb rhubarb, sliced into rough ½” pieces
⅓ cup superfine sugar
½ cup water
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 200 degrees, placing a rack in the lower third of the oven.
While the oven heats, add the whites to a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk, and mix on medium-low until they become foamy. Then add in the cream of tartar and continue to mix until soft peaks form. Then add in the sugar, a tablespoon at-a-time, increasing the motor speed to medium-high, and mix until the sugar is fully integrated.
Continue mixing for about 5 minutes, until very stiff and glossy. Add in the vanilla, and continue to beat on medium-high speed for about a minute. Transfer the meringue to your pastry bag and pipe out into rough 3” rounds. Place in the oven and bake for 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let them cool for an hour or so. Remove from the oven and reserve.
Prepare the semifreddo, by pouring the cream into a large bowl for a stand mixer and separating the eggs - whites in a small bowl of a stand mixer and yolks into a medium glass bowl that will fit into a medium saucepan (double boiler).
Whip the cream with the whisk attachment until thickened - a stable cream that just begins to hold form, or light peaks. Reserve and clean the whisk attachment.
Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water and place over medium-low heat. Add the superfine sugar and saffron to the bowl of egg yolks, with a pinch of salt. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until lightened in color and thickened in volume, about 2 minutes. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan of warming water. Whisk the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove from the double-boiler and place on the counter to cool.
While the yolk mixture cools, transfer the small bowl of egg whites to the stand mixer, fitted with the cleaned whisk and mix on medium-low speed until foamy. Turn off the motor, add in the confectioners sugar, and mix on low until integrated in the egg foam, then increase the speed to medium-high until stiff peaks form, a few minutes. Reserve.
Then, fold the egg yolks mixture, in thirds, into the whipped cream, until smooth and fully integrated. Briefly stir in a few tablespoons of the whipped egg whites until dissolved, then add in the remainder, gently folding and rotating the bowl, until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
Line a 9-inch loaf pan with cling wrap, leaving a large overhang to wrap up at the end. Pour in a quarter of the saffron egg/cream mixture, pushing to the sides and ensuring the cling wrap doesn’t fold in on the cream. Break-up a meringue into several pieces and spread it on top. Pour ⅓ of the remaining saffron cream on top, spreading it out evenly and topping with another broken-up meringue. Cover with ½ of the remaining saffron cream, topping with another broken-up meringue, followed by the remaining cream.
Fold the wrap over the mixture and place in the freezer for 8-10 hours.
About 20 minutes prior to serving, slice up the rhubarb and place in a medium saucepan with the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the rhubarb, using a slotted spoon, to a shallow dish. Increase the heat and boil down the syrup for a few minutes, then pour over the rhubarb, allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5 minutes prior to serving, remove the semifreddo from the freezer and allow to lightly thaw. Gently peel away the top of the cling wrap, and invert onto a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, cut into rough ½ inch slices.
To serve, place a slice onto a serving plate and top with a few pieces of rhubarb and syrup and a little extra crumbled meringue cookie.
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