Delicately sweet, beautifully fragrant and bursting with juice, lychees are one of summer’s most irresistible treats.

Beneath their distinctive rosy-red shells lies translucent, pearly-white flesh with a floral flavour that’s somewhere between a grape and a rose. And with their Australian season arriving just in time for Christmas, they’re a delicious addition to festive celebrations.

Wonderful eaten fresh and chilled, lychees also bring a touch of elegance to desserts, fruit salads and summer drinks. Their natural sweetness pairs beautifully with tropical fruits, citrus and coconut, while their delicate floral notes make them an unexpected companion to seafood, fresh herbs and spicy Asian-inspired dishes.

There’s goodness beneath that pretty exterior, too. Lychees are naturally rich in vitamin C, which supports normal immune function, and provide small amounts of fibre and potassium. Their high water content makes them a particularly refreshing treat on warm summer days.

Lychee, Lime and Coconut Semifreddo

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Serves

8-10

Preparation

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 400 g 400 fresh lychees, peeled and pitted

• 400 ml 400 thickened cream

• 250 g 250 mascarpone

• 1/2 cup 1/2 caster sugar

• 3 large 3 eggs, separated

• 200 ml 200 coconut cream

• Finely grated zest of 2 limes

• 2 Tbsp 2 lime juice

• 1 tsp 1 vanilla extract

• To serve

• 150 g 150 fresh lychees, peeled and pitted

• 125 g 125 fresh raspberries

• 1/4 cup 1/4 coconut flakes, lightly toasted

• Fresh mint leaves

• Finely grated lime zest

Method

• Line a 1.5L loaf tin with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang. Roughly chop half the lychees and finely chop the remainder.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar until pale. Place bowl over gently simmering water, without touching it, and whisk for 5-7 minutes until thick and reaching 72°C. Cool.
• Beat cream and mascarpone to soft peaks. Fold through coconut cream, lime zest, juice and vanilla.
• Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold yolk mixture into mascarpone cream, followed by egg whites.
• Fold through chopped lychees. Spoon into tin, smooth surface, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Remove from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Unwrap and invert onto a chilled platter.
• Top with fresh lychees, raspberries, toasted coconut, mint and lime zest. Slice and serve immediately.

Notes

• *CHEF’S TIP: If you want to save time and hassle de-seeding a whole pomegranate, you can use thawed frozen pomegranate arils, or look for fresh arils in the cut fruit fridge.

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