We all scream for ice cream on sunny long weekends – especially these homemade peach semifreddo and pistachio sandwiches.

Recipe and Styling Natalia Homan | Photograph Brendan Homan

Peach semifreddo & pistachio sandwich
makes 8-9

for semifreddo
400g yellow peaches
600g caster sugar
800ml thickened cream
12 egg yolks

for biscuits
100g butter
50g waffle cones, coarsely crushed
1.5 cups oats
2 tbsp plain flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk

to serve
slivered pistachios (available from Middle Eastern specialty stores). Almonds would make a good substitute.

To make the semifreddo, place a 12x30cm loaf tin in the freezer. Halve and stone the peaches. Place 200g sugar and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peaches, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, peel away skins and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Place the remaining sugar in a medium saucepan with 1⁄3 cup of water. Set over medium/high heat, bring to the boil and cook until syrup reaches soft ball stage measured with a sugar thermometer (115C).

Meanwhile, whip cream to firm peaks with a stand mixer, transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator. Place egg yolks into the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk until thick and pale. Carefully and slowly, drizzle sugar syrup into the egg yolks while whisking on low speed. Continue to whisk the mixture on medium speed until cooled to room temperature (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, finely chop the peach flesh, and fold through the egg mixture when it is ready. Then gently fold through the whipped cream. Transfer the mix to the chilled loaf pan, wrap in cling film and freeze until firm (overnight).

To make the biscuits, preheat oven to 170C and place the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Cook butter until it turns to a nut-brown colour, then set aside to cool. Place waffle cones, oats and flour in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to form a fine crumb. Add the brown sugar and pulse to combine. Add the egg yolk, pulse, then drizzle in the brown butter and pulse until mix comes together in a ball, adding a tbsp or 2 of cold water if necessary.

Transfer the dough to the kitchen bench and portion into 20g balls, placing them on baking trays lined with baking paper, allowing room for the biscuits to spread as they bake. With a small sheet of baking paper over the biscuits, flatten each biscuit with the base of a glass. If preferred, neaten the biscuits with a 6cm round cutter. Bake biscuits for 10-12 minutes, rotating baking trays mid-way, or until golden. Allow to cool on the baking trays.

To assemble, place a generous scoop of semifreddo on an upside-down biscuit, top with a second biscuit, press down to push the semifreddo to the edges, dip the biscuit in the slivered pistachios to cover half the biscuit. Sandwiches can be served immediately. Alternatively, store assembled in the freezer, the biscuits will soften after about 8 hours, offering a different eating experience.

 

This recipe first appeared in the Dec 2020/Jan 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.