Lemon Mousse
Cool as ice, lemon mousse quenelles rest of a bright fan of strawberry slices. Green lime zest, chopped pistachios, and mint accent the dessert.
Ingredients
- Lemon Mousse
- Unflavored gelatin - 1/2 packet
- Cold Water - 2 tablespoons
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Confectioner’s Sugar - 1 cup
- Egg Whites - 4
- Fresh lemon juice - 1/2 cup
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1-1/2 cups, beaten to firm peaks
- Zest of 1-1/2 limes
- Sugar - 2 cups
- Water - 1 cup
- Rum - 1 tablespoon
- Strawberries - 10 large, green tops removed
- Sugar - 1 tablespoon
- Strawberries - 20 large, cut lengthwise into thin slices
- Mint sprigs - 4
- Pistachios - 1 cup, chopped
Instructions
To prepare the mousse: Soften the gelatin in the cold water. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, whisk the lemon zest, sugar, and egg whites until the mixture is hot and the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin until completely melted. Place in a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice. Whisk until the mixture cools and forms soft peaks. Whisk in the lemon juice. Fold in a large spoonful of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture, then fold in the remaining cream in two additions. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
To prepare the zest: Cut the zest in long, very thin strips. Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat and add the zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Set aside to cool in the syrup. Remove the zest from the syrup and drain.
To serve: Puree the ten whole strawberries with the sugar until smooth. Put the puree in a squeeze bottle. Arrange the strawberry slices in a fan on each plate, overlapping the slices slightly. Use the slices from about 5 strawberries per plate. Drizzle strawberry puree around the outside of each strawberry fan. Place two quenelles (oval scoops) of mousse on each plate, overlapping the base of the strawberry fan. Place a few pieces of lime zest on the quenelles. Sprinkle the plates with pistachios. Garnish each plate with a mint sprig.
