Here are two recipes that I’ve been eating at home with my family since even before the warmer weather started to make me smile: a tiramisu semifreddo and a granita, the Sicilian iced slush (made from fresh fruit juice, nut milks or coffee) that is is the Slush Puppie’s distinguished aunt. The ultimate refreshers on a sunny day at any time of the year.
Tiramisu semifreddo (pictured top)
Prep 5 min
Cook 45 min
Freeze 6 hr+
Serves 10
6 eggs, separated
350g caster sugar
250g mascarpone
200ml whipping or double cream
200ml espresso
90ml rum, or brandy or marsala
60g cocoa powder, plus 1 tsp extra for dusting
16-20 savoiardi biscuits
First, mix the egg whites with 150g of the caster sugar in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until steaming hot (70C). Transfer to a stand mixer, whip on high speed until completely cool with stiff peaks, then transfer to a clean bowl.
Whisk the egg yolks and 100g sugar in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water, beating constantly, until voluminous and hot. Move the bowl on to a bowl of iced water and whisk again until cool. Add the mascarpone and whisk again until completely incorporated.
Whip the cream on medium-low to soft peaks, then fold it into the mascarpone mix. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
In a separate bowl, stir the espresso with the remaining 100g sugar and your chosen booze.
Line a two-litre container with clingfilm and, using a tea strainer, sift a quarter of the cocoa powder over the base. Gently spread about a third of the mascarpone cream on top of the cocoa. One by one, dip half the sponge fingers in the boozy espresso syrup, soaking them thoroughly, then arrange in a neat layer on top of the mascarpone cream.
Dust with another quarter of the cocoa powder, then top with another third of the mascarpone cream. Repeat with a second layer of soaked biscuits and another quarter of the cocoa powder. Top with the remaining third of the mascarpone cream and dust the top with the remaining cocoa powder. Freeze for about six hours or more, until completely set.
Just before serving, turn out the semifreddo on to a cool platter, dust with the remaining teaspoon of cocoa powder, then slice and serve.
Pomegranate granita
Here, I use pomegranate – a favourite fruit and emblem of Sicily – but you can use any fruit juice you fancy (or berries blended with a tiny amount of water). As with all the best recipes that call for few ingredients and minimal intervention, the quality of the granita is solely dependent on the quality of the pomegranates: look for ones with a deep, purplish garnet colour to their seeds.
Prep 25 min
Freeze 4 hr+
Makes About 1 litre
2kg whole pomegranates, or 1.2kg pomegranate seeds, or 1 litre pomegranate juice (look for one that is 100% pomegranate juice, and ideally not from concentrate)
100g white sugar
First, pick the seeds from the pomegranates, discarding any of the cream-coloured membrane, which is very bitter. Transfer the seeds to a food processor (not a blender, which would pulp the pips and release their bitterness) and whizz until the pips are still whole, but released from their crystalline flesh.
Strain through a sieve, pressing to extract all the juice, then stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Transfer to a wide dish and put it in the freezer. Once it starts to freeze at the edges, and every 10-15 minutes thereafter, stir with a fork or whisk, and repeat until it’s almost completely frozen and icy; this should take about four hours in all.
The granita is ready to serve in this slightly wet, slushy state, but if you want to keep it longer, leave the granita to freeze solid, then take it out to thaw for 20 minutes or so before serving, then break it up with a fork.