Lemon mousse is a classic dessert we had a lot growing up. The silky smooth mousse just melts in your mouth. So when I saw a former participant in the The Great Danish Baking Show, Micki Cheng made the lemon mousse into a dessert, I had to make it.
So with my lemon tree filled with lemons and it being Easter 🐣 we were in for a perfect storm.
It was an instant winner, it could even be a new must have for Easters to come. Well I would make it any time of the year - replacing the chocolate bunnies with something else chocolate or berries.
Disclaimer: This dessert is made with raw eggs. I recommend using pasteurized eggs. This minimizes the risk of getting Salmonella food poisoning. You can find pasteurized eggs in some supermarkets here in California, on safeeggs.com you can see where to find them in your neighborhood. In Denmark you'll find it right next to regular eggs. For tips and information on how to handle eggs, check out FDA’s website. The Danish version of FDA, Fødevarestyrelsen also has advisory on egg
Serves 8-12.
Ingredients:
Crust:
250 g shortbread cookies
100 g butter, salted and melted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Lemon Mousse:
3 teaspoons gelatin (6 sheets husblas)
4 whole eggs (read disclaimer)
100 g sugar
100 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
300 ml heavy whipping cream
1 lemon, the zest of
Topping:
150 ml heavy whipping cream
small chocolate bunnies or chocolate shavings
Directions:
Crust:
Crush the shortbread cookies, using a food processor or a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, mix together crumbs, melted butter, and vanilla bean paste until combined and crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the spring form using either your fingers or the bottom of a small glass to form the crust layer.
Tips:
To ease the unmolding line the spring form with parchment paper in the bottom and some clear cake strips/cake collar, so the mousse won't adhere to the side of the pan.
Lemon Mousse:
Whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks, and set aside.
Whisk the eggs pale and fluffy with the sugar, set aside.
Mix the gelatin with half the lemon juice and melt the gelatin over a double boiler. Mix in the rest of the lemon juice and lemon zest.
Using Husblas: put the sheets in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. Over a double boiler melt the sheets with the water that adheres to it when removed from the bowl. Mix in the lemon juice and zest when melted completely.
Mix the gelatin lemon mixture with the eggs while whisking. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mousse onto the crust, and set it in the refrigerator for about 3 hours.
Gently unmold the mousse cake and place it on a platter.
Topping:
Whip the heavy whipping cream, and pipe the whipped cream onto the cake in a decorative manner. Place chocolate bunnies or chocolate shavings on top.
Serve the cake cold.
Enjoy!