This is a brilliant recipe for Olive Oil Semifreddo, Balsamic Strawberries and Black Pepper Tuilles. Olive oil makes great cakes and baked goods and even Ice Cream.
This is a sponsored post full of wonderful Italian opportunities PLUS an amazing recipe using olive oil. Make an Olive Oil Semi freddo with Balsamic Strawberries and Peppered Olive Oil Tuiles, that’s how versatile olive oil can be. Then let me tell you How you can become an Olive Oil Sommelier …………….
I am very lucky to work with Italian Food products for part of the week, and there is always a constant parade of interesting people, from chefs to producers popping by our office to say hello. This week was no exception. I got to speak to an Italian Olive Oil Sommelier and judge who spends an equal amount of time both here and in Italy running olive oil tastings and workshops.  We spoke about how EVO’s ( extra virgin oils) are produced in different countries and the countries that produce exceptional oils and why. Although it is imperative that we support the produce of our own country it is also important to acknowledge that some countries have a thing or two to teach us considering Australia was not on the map when the Europeans began cultivating olives and pressing oil. We have a young industry. I was shocked to hear ads on social media telling consumers that all oils from Europe are inferior and old and we should not buy them. Promoting a product with misinformation only creates a narrow minded consumer, and that benefits no one. Discuss
In my house we go through litres of Olive Oil. My previous jobs have given me the opportunity to represent Spanish, Italian and Australian oil producers, (one of my favourites is Alto) and I have tasted rivers of the pungent golden stuff, yet I can’t say that I am any kind of expert. How I would love to become an Olive Oil Sommelier.
Are you a food obsessed person who would love to learn about Olive Oil in Italy?
Image from www.irvea.org website
Well you can combine a trip to Italy with a bit of education. Â Here’s how it works.
This is a 5 day professional training course to study and improve your knowledge and appreciation of olive oil, gastronomy and wine, with degustations and cooking demonstrations. Spend the mornings  9am to 2pm in the classroom at the Casanova Wellness Centre in San Quirico d’Orcia near Siena and the afternoons enjoying guided tasting tours, dinners and visits to olive mills and wineries in the beautiful Montalcino region. Get all of the amazing details and prices from the PDF above.
  Also  Italian Artisan Cured Meats Production & Food
Where: IRVEA Academy of Pork Didactic Center
Via Lasagni 29 – Bagno di Reggio Emilia
This programme is also 5 days covering both theory and practical tuition everything from livestock rearing to matching  food and wine. You will learn the secrets of how to salt, spice and cure your way to Porchetta, Culatello, Pancetta and Salami or attend classes in pasta making and best of all, enjoy lunches with the products you produce. Special accommodation prices apply at www.hotel-reggioemilia.com along with plenty of other opportunities to get involved with amazing food related activities in the area.
          The course is conducted in English
Have a look at the course details for both classes by clicking on the links above and start planning your trip to Italy.
And now are you ready for the Olive Oil semi Freddo with Balsamic Strawberries and black pepper tuilles?
Olive Oil Semifreddo, Balsamic Strawberries and Black Pepper Tuiles
Ingredients
Prepare a loaf tin mould ( 10x 4 in or 26cm x10cm) or a round cake tin if you prefer by spraying or greasing and then lining with baking paper with enough over hang to easily pull out the semi freddo when set. .
- 5 whole egg yolks
- 210 gm pure icing sugar 1 1/2 cups
- 80 ml orange juice 1/4 cup
- 150 ml olive oil 3/4 cup
- 375 ml whipping cream ( 1 1/2 cups thickened cream)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean or 1 -2 tsp vanilla extract
Olive Oil and Black Pepper Tuiles
- 3 egg whites
- 60 ml olive oil 3 tablespoons
- 100 gm sugar 2/3 cup
- 60 gm plain flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Balsamic dressing
- 250 gm strawberries 1 punnet
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons balsamic very good quality or a tiny bit more sugar if it is not so good!
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Set the oven to 180C / 350F. Beat the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peak or thick and airy. Put in the fridge till needed. Clean the bowl well then put the egg yolks and oil into the bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes or until starting to whiten and amalgamate and the mixture looks combined.
- Add the icing sugar and continue beating until thick and creamy and white ( another 4-5 minutes. Stop the mixer and add the OJ and beat til thick, fluffy and white. This does take a while and is a very important part of having a lovely light smooth semi freddo.
- Use a spatula to gently fold the cream through in two lots retaining as much air as possible.
- Pour into the mould and leave to set . Preferably overnight
To make the tuiles
- Use a smallish bowl to mix all the ingredients together till smooth. No need to beat just mix the mixture to a thin spreadable consistency.
- Line a large try with parchment.
- Spread the mixture as thinly as possible in a round or square. Once cooked, these can be moulded over a rolling pin while still hot to make traditional tuiles. I made square ones.
- Once the mixture is spread onto the tray. Sprinkle with a little fresh grated pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or till golden. The thinner they are the crisper and more even they will cook.
- Cut the strawberries in half or slices and put them into a bowl. Add the icing sugar and the balsamic and toss with a spoon. Leave for several minutes for the juices to combine.
- Serve the tuiles with a slice of semifreddo and strawberries sprinkled with nuts.
For more Semifreddo recipes try this: Semifreddo no churn icecream.
That dessert looks quite gourmet – Never would have thought of using olive oil this way though!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Choc Chip Uru recently posted..CCU Undercover: Sushi Train, Dee Why
Gorgeous dessert! Love it!
Asmita recently posted..Birthday Cookies
There’s so much misinformation about olive oil, isn’t there? From now on, I’m ringing you with all my questions.. 🙂
celia recently posted..Lobster Risotto
My….what an experience……learning about Olive Oil is not something that happens everyday, what a rare opportunity. And exquisite looking semifreddo. I have never made any. But I HAVE to ask….what’s OJ? The only OJ I know ends with a name that is also a beloved animated character but does not make one feel very good at the combination….
Pun aside, this is really delightful and I am bookmarking it.
minnie@thelady8home recently posted..In my kitchen…..July 2014
How silly of me Minnie, I meant orange juice. i have changed the recipe now to read that.
What wonderful experiences you have had. This semifreddo is different to anything I’ve seen but looks fantastic!
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts recently posted..(Vegan) plum and yogurt drop scones
What fantastic experiences. And I also like Alto olive oil and I recall having a fantastic one at Manly Pavilion-it was an Italian olive oil and it was sublime! A gorgeous dessert too 😀
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Moon Park, Redfern
Oh, I wish I did a course like this when I was in Italy last Summer! Maybe next year!
Doing that course would be an incredible opportunity. How amazing to be doing an Italian course not in Sydney but in Italy itself – that would be the course of a lifetime! I love your olive oil recipe – very clever, Tania. And like you, I go through a lot of olive oil but I can remember a time when in our family, it didn’t exist – there was butter or oil (but I have no idea what that oil was but it definitely didn’t come from olives!) xx
Hotly Spiced recently posted..The Little Hand-Stirred Jam Shop, Berrima
Wow! That dessert looks really tempting! It’s interesting to have black pepper on tuiles!
Olivia @ mademoiselleinsydney recently posted..Macleay Street Bistro
Stop it… 5 days in Italy learning about olive oil? Sounds like my dream come true. Am I allowed to have some gelato as well?
Claire @ Claire K Creations recently posted..Strawberry and basil muffins
Oh how divine would that course be. That picture from their site is particularly dreamy….ahhh, Italian dreaming. Yes please.
What an impressive looking dessert. I would love to understand more about olive oils, what a great idea. I never even knew such courses existed. It has been many years since we have been to Tuscan….sigh….would love to return
Martine @ Chompchomp recently posted..Southern Forests Truffle Kerfuffle Truffle Festival 2014
I’d love to take a course like those Tania, one day maybe…..
I was lucky enough to cook a degustation menu of 9 courses featuring the winning olive oil from our local region. It was awesome! I wish I had your recipe for tuilles at the time though 🙂
We have amazing produce in Australia, and I definitely promote local, but it is arrogance indeed too think we know better in everything when some regions have been growing and producing for thousands of years. Misinformation is probably a form of propaganda in the case you mentioned, best to let people make up their own minds and let the product speak for itself instead of resorting to half truths and fears xox
InTolerant Chef recently posted..How to Build the Perfect Sandwich- a BLAT
I love olive oil. I think it’s cute that John can remember his mother having to get olive oil from the pharmacy when he was a kid.
That course sounds wonderful. I’d love to do something like that. One day!
Your tuiles are perfect and how clever they are.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted..Apple and Butternut Soup
Fantastic looking dessert!