Light and luscious lemon mousse is layered with fresh strawberries and sprinkled with white chocolate shavings.
Lemon Strawberry Mousse Parfait
Spring is just around the corner. I am so excited. It’s my favourite season. The sun is shining, the days are warmer, trees are starting to bud and the grass is getting greener.
And what comes to mind when I think of Spring? Lemons. Lemons are bright, vibrant and refreshing.
There are so many ways to use lemons… like, for example, cleaning wooden cutting boards. Sprinkle a little salt on top and using the cut side of half a lemon, scrub the surface, then rinse. It removes odour as well.
Today though, I have my mind on something way better. My thoughts are on lemon mousse. This simple lemon mousse is both tart and sweet.
But first we need to make lemon curd. Lemon curd is made with egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Combine these ingredients in a heatproof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until it thickens to the point that it covers the back of your spoon. Don’t stop whisking, otherwise, the egg yolks will cook and you’ll end up with bits of egg yolk. If this happens, pour the curd through a sieve once it’s ready.
Let curd cool and cover the top surface with plastic wrap. This will prevent the curd from forming a layer of skin on the top. Once cooled, it is then folded into whipped Chantilly cream. You may want to make the curd a day ahead.
For the strawberries, hull and slice, then add sugar to taste.
You’re ready to start layering. Add a layer of strawberries, then a layer of lemon mousse, another layer of strawberries, and another layer of lemon mousse. Sprinkle with white chocolate shavings and top it off with a whole strawberry for dipping.
And yes, it tastes as good as it looks!
Adapted from Bon Appetit.
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, about 1 lemon
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- sugar, to taste
- white chocolate, for garnish
- To make lemon curd: combine egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until mixture thickens to the point that it covers the back of your spoon, this may take up to 10 minutes.
- Pour through a sieve. Let cool.
- To make Chantilly cream: whip cream, using an electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Mix in icing sugar and vanilla.
- To make the lemon mousse: in three additions, gently fold in 1/3 of the Chantilly cream into the lemon curd. Add the second third and gently fold in. Add the remainder of the cream and gently fold in.
- Hull and slice strawberries. Add sugar to taste.
- To start layering, add 2 heaping spoonfuls of strawberries to each glass.
- Next, add 2 heaping spoonfuls of lemon mousse.
- Then add another layer of strawberries.
- Add another layer of lemon mousse.
- Top it off with white chocolate shavings, if desired, and a strawberry.
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