Strawberry and Orange Mousse
Sweet, juicy strawberries with the combination of freshly squeezed orange juice, creates this delicious, light airy mousse that you will want to eat time and time again. I serve it in individual glasses but you could make just one large mousse and decorate it with piles of fresh strawberries. Believe me, this mousse is worth the effort and it is my no-bake taste of summer.
Ingredients
350g strawberries, hulled
1 large orange
4 level tablespoons icing sugar
2 eggs separated plus 1 egg yolk
125g caster sugar
1 level tablespoon of gelatine
150ml double cream
For decoration…
Extra Double cream ( amount depends on whether you pipe one swirl or pile it on) .
Extra Fresh strawberries
Method
1. Purée the hulled strawberries in a blender with the finely grated rind of 1/2 the orange, 5 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice and the icing sugar.
2. Using a nylon sieve, sieve the mixture to make a smooth purée.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the 3 egg yolks and caster sugar until it is thick and light.
4 Gradually whisk in the strawberry purée until it is combined.
5. Carefully make up the gelatine by soaking in 3 tablespoons of water. Dissolve the gelatine by standing the bowl over a pan of hot water and stir until it is completely dissolved. This step is very important and the gelatine must be completely dissolved.
6. Now carefully stir the dissolved gelatine into the strawberry purée mixture. Mix thoroughly.
7. Whisk the double cream until it forms soft, stiff peaks, don’t over whisk.
8. Carefully using a spatula or metal spoon, fold the cream into the mousse mixture.
9. In a separate clean bowl, whisk the 2 egg whites until they are stiff and then gently fold them into the mousse mixture. The mousse should be one uniform pink colour with no white spots of cream or egg white.
10. Pour or ladle the mousse into your chosen glasses or dishes and refrigerate for a couple of hours until it is completely set.
11. Decorate with more whipped double cream and fresh strawberries.
This dessert is best served brought back to room temperature for 20 minutes but can be eaten chilled from the fridge.
Notes
Please be aware this dessert is a no-bake recipe so the eggs are not cooked.
Sieving the purée is a bit of a faff I know but it does give the mousse a really smooth texture. Obviously if you just want the flavour and are happy to compromise on the texture, you can miss out this step.
This mousse also makes a wonderful, make ahead, summer dinner party dessert. To up-level it, take 1 decorative large glass dish (4 pint shallow style). Line the sides with thinly sliced strawberries, arrange them so you see the cut edge from the outside. Make the mousse as described and then carefully spoon into the glass dish, making sure not to dislodge the strawberries. Refrigerate and then decorate with swirls of piped double cream around the edge and just before serving place fresh strawberries piled up in the centre. Add curls of white chocolate.