Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo

This smooth and decadent Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo mixes just 6 ingredients for a creamy cold dessert made without an ice cream maker: fresh strawberries, matcha powder, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.

Semifreddo, Italian for ‘half-frozen’, is a type of partially frozen dessert intended to be enjoyed cold. It is often made in a loaf tin shape with sauce and toppings and looks kind of like an ice-cream cake (which it is sometimes mistaken for). The basic ingredients of a semifreddo are egg, sugar, and heavy cream.

It’s a must-make every summer during strawberry season, just like this 2-ingredient strawberry milkshake and strawberry basil shrub.

Should I Use Egg Whites or Egg Yolks?

To determine this, I’ve tested semifreddo with both! Using egg yolks made the semifreddo come out too heavy and creamy for me. The egg whites provided just the right amount of creaminess and light texture. Overall, I prefer using egg whites.

Cooking with Raw vs Cooked Eggs

Yes, this recipe does contain raw eggs, which is a no-no for some including those who are pregnant and have compromised immune systems. So, here I’ve included instructions to cook the egg white in the meringue portion of the recipe:

1. First, whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a heat-proof bowl or in the top piece of a double boiler. Then place over a pot of simmering water (or the bottom part of your double boiler) on medium heat.
2. Make sure the surface of the simmering water doesn’t touch the bottom of the heat-proof bowl. This will cook the eggs more than you want.
3. Whisking constantly, cook the egg mixture until it reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer, which should take about 10-11 minutes. Do not stop whisking, or the eggs may solidify. If the steam gets too hot over your hand, use an oven mitt. Carefully remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Then, use this mix to proceed with the recipe as normal.

How to Make Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo

Gather together to following ingredients: egg whites, matcha powder, sugar, strawberries, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.

Strawberry Puree

Add the cut strawberries, a 1/3 cup of sugar, and a pinch of sea salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat (photo 1). Cover the mixture and cook for about 3 minutes until the strawberries begin to release their juices. Then, remove the lid and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the strawberries are very soft (photo 2).

Let the strawberry mixture cool, then add it to a blender and puree until smooth throughout. Then, strain through a nut milk bag (photos 3 & 4) or a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds (affiliate links open in new tab). Set aside one cup of the puree for serving later. You will use the rest of the mixture in the semifreddo itself.

Matcha Whip

Next, make the matcha whip. Add the three egg whites to a mixer (or large bowl if using a hand mixer.) Whip the egg whites until they turn white and begin to stiffen (photo 1 below), then add a 1/3 cup of sugar and whip the egg and sugar mixture until stiff peaks form (photo 2 below). Finally, add 1 tbsp of culinary grade matcha powder (affiliate link opens in new tab) and mix to incorporate (photos 3 & 4 below). Make sure to clean the mixer or hand mixer before using it in the next step.

Whipped Cream

Now, it’s time to make the whipped cream. Whip one cup of cold heavy cream in a clean mixer bowl or medium-sized bowl. When the whipped cream begins to get stiff (photo 2 below), add 1/3 cup of sugar and vanilla extract. Whip the sugar and cream mixture until stiff peaks form (photo 3 below).

Note: The mixer and bowl need to be clean between making the meringue and whipped cream portions of the mousse or the cream will not whip properly.

Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo

Then you’re ready to assemble the Strawberry Matcha Semifreddo. Fold the whipped cream into the matcha mousse, one-third of the mixture at a time, until fully incorporated (photo 6).

Very gently fold in the strawberry puree (except the one cup of strawberry puree you put aside earlier.) DO NOT OVER-MIX. You want the puree to be barely incorporated at this stage because it will mix more as you transfer it into the baking pan.

Did you overmix? If you over-mix the strawberry puree into the mousse, the mixture will still taste good but will not be pretty. Red mixed with green makes brown, and this semifreddo looks better if the red and green stay separated.

Transfer the semifreddo to either a quarter-inch baking sheet or any glass baking dish that is 9×13, 9×9, 8×8, 9×5, or a similar size. Cover and refrigerate your semifreddo for at least 8 hours.

Want extra swirls? You can add a couple of 1 teaspoon drops of strawberry sauce after you transfer the semifreddo to the baking dish and use a knife or wooden skewer to swirl it into the semifreddo. You will not see these swirls after you use the ice cream scoop to serve, but they are pretty.

When the semifreddo has set, use an ice cream scoop to serve and drizzle your reserved strawberry sauce over the top. It will taste amazing!

Semifreddo vs. Ice Cream vs. Gelato

Semifreddo is the lightest in texture; it is a frozen mousse with mix-ins for flavor. It has more air incorporated into the mixture, giving it a lighter feel.

Ice cream is denser in texture: it has a higher fat content and lower air content, plus it is churned over time to create a characteristic creamy texture.

Gelato is the most dense in texture of the three – it has the least air incorporated into the mixture as it is churned far more slowly than ice cream. It also contains less cream and has no eggs in the recipe.

Popular Semifreddo Mix-ins

You’ll often find semifreddo with classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and sweet fruit flavors like raspberry or strawberry. It’s really easy to experiment with semifreddo and mix in new flavor twists. You can incorporate peanut butter, pistachio, coffee, hazelnut… anything that you’re in the mood for.

For my recipe, you can replace the strawberries with any berry or stone fruit, and you can add nuts. You could even leave out the matcha and strawberry for classic plain vanilla. Make it your own!

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