When Megan Potthoff was announced as WP24 Restaurant’s new Executive Pastry Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, we expected big things. In bringing Asian-inspired flavors and seasonal fresh fruit from local California purveyors to the new summer menu, Potthoff has reinvented the restaurant’s dessert options. Don’t believe us? Just look at her Tangerine Creamsicle dish.

With juicy tangerines, citrus semifreddo and coconut crumble, this dish looks remarkable and thanks to the below recipe, you can make it yourself to beat the summer heat! Just make sure you have enough time, since the recipe is not only long, but the semifreddo also needs to spend a full night in the freezer prior to assembly.

Tangerine Creamsicle

Servings: 8

Citrus Cake Ingredients and Directions:

• 40 grams butter, room temperature
• 90 grams sugar
• 2 teaspoon orange zest
• 45 grams egg whites
• 50 grams milk
• 75 grams all-purpose flour, sifted with baking powder and salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a small sheet pan (9” x 13”) with parchment paper and spray with pan spray. Set aside. In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar and zest. Mix on medium speed for five minutes. Slowly add the egg whites, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to mix until egg whites are incorporated. Reduce speed and alternate adding dry ingredients and milk. Mix until smooth. Spread cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until firm and golden. Let cool completely. Cut the cake to fit the bottom of your loaf pan.  

Semifreddo Ingredients and Directions:

• 95 grams sugar
• 50 grams water
• 115 grams egg yolks
• 160 grams tangerine juice
• 2 teaspoons tangerine zest
• 225 grams egg whites
• 95 grams sugar
• 375 grams Heavy Cream

Line a 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with two layers of plastic wrap, leaving a generous overhang on all sides. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg yolks on high speed until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a small pot bring the first amount of sugar and water to a boil. With the mixer running, stream in hot sugar syrup. Continue to mix on high speed until cool. Whisk in tangerine juice and zest, and reserve in refrigerator. In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. Using a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase to high speed and gradually rain in the second amount of sugar. Whip whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites into tangerine/yolk mixture in two additions. Finish by folding in soft whipped cream. Pour semifreddo into prepared loaf pan. Freeze overnight. 

Coconut Crumble Ingredients and Directions:

• 40 grams non-fat milk powder
• 40 grams all-purpose flour
• 50 grams sugar
• 60 grams coconut, shredded
• Pinch of salt
• 60 grams butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine non-fat milk powder, flour, sugar, coconut and salt. Add melted butter and gently toss to form small clusters. Spread clusters on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until sandy and golden. Set aside to cool.

Honey Tangerine Sauce Ingredients and Directions:

• 440 grams tangerine juice
• 60 grams honey
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 2 tangerines, separate into segments

In a small pot bring tangerine juice, honey and vanilla bean to a boil. Boil until mixture is syrupy and reduced slightly, stirring often; about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool over ice bath. Add tangerine segments. Cover and chill.

Assembly Directions:

Remove semifreddo from loaf pan. Invert on top of a cake rectangle. Slice into eight portions; they should be 2×2-inch squares.

Place semifreddo on plate, drizzle with tangerine sauce, top with coconut crumble, as well as tangerine segments in sauce.