White Chocolate Semifreddo, Stewed Cherries & Gingerbread Crumbs

White Chocolate Semifreddo
Ingredients:

• 250g cherries, pitted
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/2 cups thickened cream
• 3 egg whites
• 100g white chocolate, finely chopped
• Stewed cherries and gingerbread crumbs, to serve

Method:

1. Grease a 7.5cm-deep, 10.5cm x 25.5cm (top) loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing 3cm overhang on all sides.
2. Roughly, chop cherries. Place on a plate lined with paper towel. Pat dry.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, vanilla and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes or until thick and creamy.
4. Beat cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form.
5. Gently fold cream, cherries and white chocolate into egg yolk mixture. Fold egg white, in 2 batches, into cream mixture.
6. Spoon into prepared pan. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or until firm. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften. Turn onto a plate.
7. Top with stewed cherries and garnish with gingerbread crumbs. Serve.

Gingerbread
Ingredients:

• 125g Butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup golden syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method:

1. Melt butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk egg and butter mixture in a large bowl. Sift flour, spices and soda over the butter mixture and mix until combined into a smooth dough.
3. Flatten into a disc shape, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until just firm.
4. Roll out dough on a floured surface to ½cm thickness. Transfer onto lightly buttered baking trays. Bake at 180C for 8-10 minutes or until cooked and lightly browned.
5. Cool for 5 minutes on trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.