Limoncello Semifreddo

Limoncello Semifreddo              From Cheese, Glorious Cheese by Paula Lambert 

Half-frozen Lemon Mousse

1 cup (8 oz) mascarpone

1/3 cup fine sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 Tablespoons plus 1/3 cup limoncello (can be purchased at liquor store or made following recipe below)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup crumbled amaretto cookies

6 amaretto cookies for garnish

Place the mascarpone, sugar, lemon zest and 2 Tablespoons of limoncello in a small bowl and whisk together for 3 to 4 minutes

Place the cream in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream.

Place half of the crumbled cookies in the bottom of a six small dessert glasses. Spoon half the limoncello mixture on top. Sprinkle with the remaining crumbled cookies. Dollop with the remaining limoncello mixture on top.

Gently pour a little limoncello on top to create a float. Place in freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving

Garnish each a cookie on top, just before serving.
 

Limoncello

10 large lemons, preferably Sorrento lemons 

One 750 ml bottle of 100-proof Alcohol


3 cups sugar


5 cups water

Wash the lemons and using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler remove the zest but none of the white pith. Place the zest in a large glass jar and pour the Alcohol over the zest. Cover the Alcohol with plastic wrap and set aside in a dark, cool space to infuse at room temperature for 1 to 4 weeks. Stir daily. The longer it rests the better. 

Mix the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Allow the simple syrup to cool.

Strain the lemon/alcohol mixture into a large pitcher. (You can reserve the lemon rinds by freezing them for use later in panna cotta and other desserts.) Pour the cooled simple syrup into another large pitcher. Pour the strained lemon/alcohol slowly on top of the simple syrup. Stir to combine.

Decant the limoncello into bottles and close each with a cork. 

Chill in the freezer until ready to serve. The limoncello can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year.