Corn is everywhere on the Campo menu, but in desserts too? The short and enthusiastic answer is yes, and to stunning results. Here, the chef steeps the masa with cream, milk, and sugar. No eggs because the thickening comes from the masa. The mixture is blended and then run through an ice cream machine, scooped, and served with a biscochito (“That’s my sous chef Crystal’s grandma’s recipe so it’s really near and dear,” Jones says.). Dessert is often overlooked she says, but it shouldn’t be. “If you have a tamale for your entrée and then you go into blue corn gelato, it’s such a special way to round out your meal.”

What is Masa? 

Also known as corn masa flour or masa harina, masa is a type of flour chefs use to make corn tortillas, tamales, empanadas, and other Latin dishes. It’s made from dried field corn that’s nixtamalized (a cooking process) in lime and water. The nixtamalization helps soften the corn so that it can easily be ground into what we know as masa. The end product has a distinctive earthy flavor and slightly coarse texture that makes Blue Corn Gelato unique from other types of gelatos.

Blue Corn Gelato

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• Author: Violet Jones

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Description

Masa adds a delicious undertone to this homemade gelato.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 14 oz masa
• 2 qt whole milk
• 1 qt heavy cream
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup 8 oz glucose sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the masa on a sheet tray and toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
3. In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients and cook over medium heat, until the mixture barely thickens, about 5 minutes.
4. Strain immediately into a bowl placed in an ice bath. Blend the masa remnants in a high-powered blender and add back into the base.
5. Place in an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipe by Campo Pastry Sous Chef, Violet Jones
Story by Julia Platt Leonard and Kylie Thomas
Photography by Tira Howard

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Semifreddo, the beloved Italian dessert and gelato-cousin, comes to the Southwest with this inspired dish from Pastry Sous Chef Violet Jones. She uses local pecans, maple syrup, and even grapes from the Los Poblanos farm. (The grapes are puréed, made into a sauce, and then magically turned into a crisp tuille.) It has lush, creamy softness from the semifreddo, crunch from the pecans, sweetness from the syrup, and a salty-buttery bite from a sablé cookie made from the Sonora White flour. Basically, it’s what a peanut butter and jelly sandwich wants to be when it grows up.

What is Semifreddo?

Semifreddo means “half-cold” in Italian. It’s a frozen dessert that falls somewhere between ice cream and mousse, not exactly solid but not exactly liquid either. Unlike gelato, semifreddo isn’t churned. Instead, the base is made with whipped cream that then folds into a custard of egg yolks, sugar, and cream. The combination gives the semifreddo a smoother, airier texture compared to ice cream’s density, but still thicker than mousse. You’ll often see it in chilling in loaf pans, molds, or cake-like slices, offering a versatile and elegant dessert option.

Butter Pecan Semifreddo Recipe 

Makes one 18 x 13 sheet pan, about 15 x 3-inch diameter discs

Butter Pecan Semifreddo Ingredients

• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups maple syrup
• 10 egg yolks
• 8 ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 2 tsp salt

Semifreddo Preparation Instructions

1. Whip the cream in a stand mixer or use a hand mixer until you get medium peaks. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat the maple syrup.
3. Clean the mixer bowl, whip the egg yolks until thick and pale yellow, then slowly stream in the hot maple syrup, then the melted butter.
4. Fold the egg yolk, syrup, and butter mixture into the whipped cream, then gently fold in the pecans and salt.
5. Pour into a lined and sprayed 18 x 13-inch (½) sheet pan and freeze overnight.
6. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving. Use a ring mold to cut the mixture into discs and serve.

Tips for Making Semifreddo

To create your perfect semifreddo texture, there are some important steps you can take to achieve that middle-ground between ice cream and mousse. Make sure all your ingredients are icy cold before mixing. This reduces the risk of curdling in the egg yolk mixture. You also don’t want to over-whip your cream: think soft peaks. Keep those peaks intact with gentle folding into the custard base to maintain an airy quality. Then, before serving, you want to make sure the semifreddo sets all the way through with an overnight stay in the freezer, covered well to prevent drying.

Wrap Up

Semifreddo may seem intimidating at first, but we hope this recipe makes the process as smooth as the Butter Pecan Semifreddo will taste and feel. Serve it up on a sunny day by the pool or while cuddled up indoors in the air conditioning. True confessions: we think it’s just as thrilling sneaked, spoonful by tiny spoonful, directly from the freezer. Don’t tell anyone!

Recipe by Campo Pastry Sous Chef, Violet Jones / Story by Julia Platt Leonard and Kylie Thomas / Photography by Tira Howard

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When the cold weather breaks and dining outside becomes your preferred option, you don’t want a dessert with overwhelming sweetness levels. Instead, try these Rose Milk Sandwich Cookies made with Milk Bikis for a light treat. Their delicate texture and subtle sweetness offer a refreshing escape from heavier desserts. Plus, the rose flavor evokes a sense of bright coolness. Make up a batch for your next picnic, birthday party, or other celebration. We’re sure the tray will be gone long before the event is over.

What are Milk Bikis?

Milk Bikis are a signature Indian cookie-type snack from Britannia, known for their unique and delightful “milky” flavor. They come in a “waffle design” or classic flat shape, both of which are perfect for dunking in tea or coffee. Not only are Milk Bikis delicious, but they’re also fortified with calcium, Vitamin D, and B vitamins, making them potentially beneficial as well. Various flavors are available. Try vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry…or transform them into something else entirely like we do with our Rose Milk Sandwich Cookies.

Rose Milk Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Rose Milk Sandwich Cookies Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tsp sweetened rose syrup
• Milk Bikis or other Indian brand of glucose biscuits

Cookie Preparation Instructions

1. Beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter using a handheld mixer.
2. Then, once creamed, add the powdered sugar a little at a time, continuing to beat until all the sugar is incorporated.
3. Next, add the rose syrup and beat until creamy and rose-colored.
4. Chill the mixture for a few hours before spreading on the Milk Bikis to make the cookie sandwiches.

How to Make Sweetened Rose Syrup

Making your own rose syrup at home may save a trip to the store and allows you to perfect the noticeably floral flavor. There are two different routes you can take, either with edible rose petals or with rose water. No matter which way you choose, it’s as simple as adding your rose choice to sugar and water, and simmering for about five minutes. After the syrup has cooled, you can store it in a glass container to use in other dishes, cocktails, or even your coffee in the morning.

Wrap Up

Rose Milk Sandwich Cookies make for a delightfully crunchy, not-too-sweet treat for any type of occasion. Filled with a creamy rose-infused filling, they offer a unique and refreshing summer dessert experience.

Recipe by Veda Sankaran / Story by Kylie Thomas / Photography by Laura Petrilla

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