Raspberry Mousse
Submitted by nettie
Raspberry mousse folds Italian meringue made with hot sugar syrup into whipped cream and seedless raspberry purée for an airy, intensely fruity dessert. Served with extra raspberry sauce drizzled over the top.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minRaspberry mousse done properly relies on Italian meringue, not just whipped whites and cream. Boiling sugar syrup at the soft-ball stage of 240°F (115°C) gets streamed slowly into stiff egg whites, cooking them safely and producing a glossy, marshmallow-stable meringue that holds the mousse together for days.
The raspberries split into three jobs. A small handful stays whole for garnish, two tablespoons get pureed with seeds for textural pop, and the rest strain into a smooth, seedless sauce that doubles as the flavor base and as a serving sauce drizzled around each portion.
Folding is the make-or-break moment. Combine the cream, meringue, and puree with a gentle hand using a wide spatula in a J-motion. Vigorous stirring deflates the air and you end up with raspberry soup instead of mousse.
Pro Tips
- Brush sugar crystals down the sides of the syrup pan with a wet pastry brush during the boil. Stray crystals seed a chain reaction and turn the whole pot grainy.
- Use a candy thermometer to nail the 240°F (115°C) mark. Underdone syrup makes a runny meringue, overdone caramelizes and tastes burnt.
- Whip cream to medium-stiff peaks, not stiff. Overwhipped cream goes grainy and refuses to fold smoothly into the meringue.
- Chill the mousse at least 4 hours before serving for the cleanest scoops and brightest flavor.
Variations
- Swap raspberries for strawberries, blackberries, or a mix of summer berries.
- Spike the mousse with a tablespoon of Chambord or framboise liqueur for grown-up depth.
- Layer the mousse in glasses with crushed shortbread or chocolate cookies for a quick parfait.
Ingredients
Directions
Choose a few perfect raspberries for garnish and set aside.
Purée remaining raspberries in processor or blender until very smooth.
Transfer 2 tablespoons of purée, with seeds, to measuring cup.
Strain remaining purée into mixing bowl, eliminating all seeds.
Add enough strained purée to the 2 tablespoons to measure ½ cup.
Set aside.
Chill remaining strained purée, which will be used as sauce.
In a small heavy saucepan combine sugar, water, and corn syrup.
Bring slowly to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally and brushing down any sugar crystals from sides of pan with brush dipped in cold water.
Raise heat slightly and cook until temperature of syrup reaches 240 F (soft ball stage).
While syrup is cooking, beat 3 egg whites in a mixer until stiff.
As soon as syrup reaches 240 F, lower mixer speed to slow and pour hot syrup onto beaten whites, in a very thing stream.
When all of the syrup has been incorporated, raise a mixer speed and beat meringue until cool.
Stir together the ½ cup reserved raspberry purée and lemon juice and fold into the meringue until nearly blended.
Whip cream until stiff and fold into the meringue until blended.
DO NOT OVERMIX.
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