Lemon Semifreddo Cake

Ingredients

Semifreddo

1 3/4 cup whipping cream
Zest from 4 lemons, no white bitter pith
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 large egg whites
1 tablespoon + 7 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

Italian Meringue

3 large egg whites
6 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

Finish

2 lemons

Directions

Lightly oil a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. Press plastic food wrap into pan ensuring that plastic covers bottom and sides.
In a bowl whip cream to thick, but soft, medium peaks. Do not whip stiff as you would for piping rosettes on cakes. The whip marks should barely remain in whipped cream. Place in refrigerator.
In a non-reactive saucepan bring lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon sugar to a quick boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place egg whites and 7 tablespoons sugar in a medium sized bowl and place it over a large pot that is filled with 1-inch of water.
Place pot over heat and bring water to a boil while whisking mixture. Whisk until a thermometer reaches 150°F.
Remove from heat and using a mixer, whip mixture to a stiff meringue.
Add 1/3 of boiled lemon mixture and fold together using a whisk or spatula. Add remaining lemon mixture and gently mix together.
Fold in whipped cream and once combined stop mixing.
Spoon mixture into plastic lined pan and place in freezer for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Place serving platter that will hold semifreddo in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Remove cake from freezer and lift out of pan and remove the plastic. Place on chilled platter. Return to freezer.
For meringue, place egg whites and sugar in a medium sized bowl and place it over a large pot that is filled with an inch of water.
Place pot over heat and bring water to a boil while whisking mixture. Whisk until a thermometer reaches 150°F.
Remove from heat and whip mixture using a mixer to a stiff meringue. Pipe the meringue using a large plain tube or spread the meringue on the surface of the semifreddo.
Torch meringue using a blowtorch or leave as is.
Slice lemons in thin slices and adhere to sides of the semifreddo.
Serve immediately. Return any leftover cake to freezer.