Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Mousse Is Loose

Remember that time you said, "I wish I could find a dessert that was as light and fluffy as a cloud, as rich and creamy as cheesecake and as zesty and refreshing as a glass of lemonade?" Well, I just happened to be hiding in the bushes outside your window that night and I thought "I will make that wish come true." Well, actually, first I thought, "This person has the soul of a poet,"... But then I thought "I will make that wish come true."
So I made my way through the gumdrop forest, across the Slurpee sea and then through the treacherous Marshmallow Mountains to the Molton Chocolate Volcano, where I finally found exactly the dessert you've been waiting for: Lemon Mousse.
It's not hard to make (unless you really hate juicing and zesting lemons, in which case this probably isn't the dessert for you), but the result is a tangy-delicious-cheesecakesque-lemonade cloud that is sure to send you to the moon.

Top it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a few blueberries or a butter wafer cookie. I can't wait to hear what you think of it when I listen in on your phone calls tonight.

You Will Need:
1 teaspoon plain gelatin
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons)
Pinch of salt
6 large egg yolks (save the whites to make healthy omelets or meringues)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream


1. Pour gelatin into a small bowl, and stir in 2 tablespoons water. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, until a gel forms.







2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat.







3. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the sugar, lemon zest and juice, and the salt.







4. Whisk in the egg yolks until smooth.







5. Place the bowl containing the gelatin mixture into a larger bowl containing hot water, and stir until the gelatin has dissolved into a clear liquid.







6. Return the egg/butter mixture to the stove, and cook over low heat (being careful not to let the mixture boil), stirring constantly until it thickens enough to leave a clean path on the back of a wooden spoon when you run your finger over it. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the gelatin mixture.







7. Immediately pour the mixture through a fine sieve or strainer into a bowl, stirring, but not pressing through any lumps. Let cool to room temperature.










8. Beat the cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.








9. Add the cream to the egg mixture in several batches, gently folding each batch into the mixture with a rubber spatula. When just combined, divide the mousse evenly into ramekins or pretty bowls or glasses (this should serve 4-6, depending on your bowl). Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, until set and thoroughly chilled. Enjoy heaven with a spoon.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!!
Lily, I made this last night and it was pure lemony perfection. The husband loved it also, and he rarely eats dessert. I used some fresh picked meyer lemons that smelled like heaven harvested by me from a friend's backyard:) Mmmmmm bliss...
Lea

Lily said...

Lea- just reading your comment made my mouth water. I think I'm going to have to come up with an excuse to make this again!