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Creamy Strawberry Mousse with Lemon Whipped Cream – Fresh and lightly sweet, this is the perfect spring dessert and a terrific way to use the best strawberries of the season!
Are you a fan of Cook’s Illustrated? Their magazines are the only ones that I don’t recycle after removing the interesting recipes. I hang on to each and every one. It may be because it’s the most expensive magazine I subscribe to and it may be that I love their recipes. I’ve only found one recipe that wasn’t perfect as written and I had no trouble at all with this delicious recipe for Strawberry Mousse with Lemon Whipped Cream.
The May / June 2014 issue of Cook’s Illustrated features an article about how to coax the most (flavor) out of grocery store strawberries. I was intrigued and felt the recipe was worth a try. It’s hard to get consistently juicy, flavorful strawberries but I do my due diligence and inspect probably a dozen packages before taking one home.
This recipe calls for 2 lbs of fresh strawberries. Once you clean the berries and remove the hulls, you’ll have about 1 3/4 lbs.
Process 1/2 of the strawberries in a food processor until most pieces are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. This took about 10 short pulses. Repeat with the remaining strawberries.
Be careful not to over-process the strawberries. Place the processed strawberries in a medium mixing bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and allow the strawberries to rest for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t wash the food processor yet – you’ll need it again in a minute.
Strain the strawberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. You should have about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of juice.
Remove 3 tablespoons of the juice into a small bowl. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin on top and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Take the remaining juice and place it in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high and cook until the juice is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, this should take about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour the gelatin mixture to a large bowl and add the cream cheese. Whisk until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
While the juice is cooking down, take the strained strawberries back to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Strain through the fine mesh sieve using a spoon to press the solids and extract all the juice. Once all the pulp and juice is extracted, discard the seeds and solids.
Add the strawberry puree into the bowl with the gelatin and cream cheese mixture.
Whisk until smooth. Beat 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently whisk the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until fully incorporated.
Divide the strawberry mousse into serving dishes or stemware. Cover with a small piece of plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Garnish with diced strawberries and lemon whipped cream if desired.
This recipe delivers as promised. The mousse is full of strawberry flavor and the small amount of cream cheese creates a wonderful texture.
Don’t skip the lemon whipped cream. The zing from the tart lemon really works well with this dessert.
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Strawberry Mousse with Lemon Whipped Cream
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Creamy, fresh and lightly sweet, a perfectly lovely spring dessert
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the mousse:
- 2 pounds of fresh strawberries, plus more for garnishing (about 1 cup chopped)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- pinch of salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (1 package)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
For the lemon whipped cream:
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
To prepare the mousse:
Clean 2 lbs of strawberries and remove the hulls, you’ll now have about 1 3/4 lbs.
- Process 1/2 of the strawberries in a food processor until most pieces are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick – this took about 10 short pulses. Repeat with the remaining strawberries. Be careful not to over-process the strawberries.
- Place the processed strawberries in a medium mixing bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and allow the strawberries to rest for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t wash the food processor yet – you’ll need it again in a minute.
- Strain the strawberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. You should have about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of juice. Remove 3 tablespoons of the juice into a small bowl. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin on top and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place the remaining juice in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat and cook until the juice is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour the gelatin mixture to a large bowl and add the cream cheese. Whisk until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
- While the juice is cooking down, take the strained strawberries back to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Strain through the fine mesh sieve using a spoon to press the solids and extract all the juice. Once all the pulp and juice is extracted, discard the seeds and solids. Add the strawberry puree into the bowl with the gelatin and cream cheese mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Beat 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently whisk the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until fully incorporated. Divide the strawberry mousse into serving dishes or stemware. Cover with a small piece of plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Garnish with diced strawberries and lemon whipped cream if desired.
To prepare the lemon whipped cream:
Pour the whipped cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the cream until foamy on medium-low speed. Add the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and whip on medium-high until soft peaks form. Serve with the strawberry mousse.
Recipe Notes
(recipe adapted from the May & June 2014 Edition of Cook’s Illustrated)
There’s no doubt we love strawberries here at SRFD. If you do too, you’ll want to check out a few more of our favorite recipes featuring this amazing fruit!
Strawberry Salad with Chicken and Poppy Seed Dressing
Easy Small-Batch Strawberry Jam
If you still need more inspiration I posted a roundup with 103 Strawberry Recipes that just about covers everything!
Finally, here are a few more strawberry recipes from some of our favorite bloggers – This lovely Lemon Strawberry Trifle from Mom on Timeout looks like the perfect spring party dessert. How about Strawberry Wine Slushies from Shake Drink Repeat? I cannot wait to try making these Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars from Well Plated by Erin. They look fantastic!
We had a lovely mother’s day but the weekend flew by way too fast. I hope you enjoyed the day with your mom or children. The weather was great, the food was fantastic, I received beautiful cards and gorgeous flowers from both my children and I even spent some time with my grandson. I feel loved 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
I am a Mom who just discovered a delicious dessert we all have enjoyed. I used berries from the supermarket. The concentration of the flavor is amazing, so smooth and ummm, delicious!
The recipe was easy to follow, I’ll be preparing this over and over. And on to do my workout, no matter.
Kudos, from sunny Florida.
Thanks so much!
Abilia
Thank you very much for the feedback! This recipe is a keeper and I understand about the workout. I am good friends with my treadmill 🙂 Have a lovely weekend in Florida!
I finally had to switch over to the digital version of Cook’s Illustrated, so my magazine clutter wasn’t taking over my house. I also subscribe to their website, because I love their videos as well. I tend to check out CI, anytime I’m looking for inspiration or a specific recipe. Their recipes just don’t fair. I’m so glad that you shared this, with excellent photos. Otherwise I might have skipped this one. I think this is a perfect way to showcase my favorite berries. Bravo!
I understand magazine clutter – I have to do something about the piles! You’re going to love it – hope you get the change to make it. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I want strawberry mousse with lemon cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner please. 😀
Have a lovely day Tricia.
🙂 Mandy xo
It is yummy Mandy! Thanks for stopping by!
Gorgeous, as always, and definitely worth a second look! I have a strawberry loving daughter who would go crazy for this 🙂
Thanks Sue – your daughter would love it – the flavor is outstanding.
I remember 🙂 This is such a great idea and beautiful presentation. So worthy of a redux!
Thanks Susan – hope you had a lovely weekend.
Wow, Tricia, your mousse looks exquisite!!! As do your photos. Beautiful.
Thanks Liz – have a great weekend!
I’ve made quite a similar strawberry mousse for our holiday meal. There was a quite a lot left so I froze it in an ice cube tray and we can now have it as little treats. Your photos are styling are a treat in themselves, I must say.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia – freezing in little bites sounds pretty terrific!
this is so elegant and delicious looking – what a welcome dessert for the warmer weather:)
Mary
Thanks Mary – warmer weather is a blessing!
Wow, wow, that looks so delicious!! 🙂 And your photographs are stunning gorgeous! Making the strawberry puree reminds me of making the Lava Flow drinks in the summer, it won’t be long to start making those!
thanks Michael! I think I need to find out more about the Lava Flow drinks – that sounds yummy!
This looks so elegant and light and perfect for spring. What’s not to love about strawberries and lemon… and let’s not overlook the cream and cream cheese!! =D And… a make ahead. I love that! blessings ~ tanna
It’s a fun and easy dessert – fun to find different ways to serve and chocked full of berries – nothing better!
This is so BEAUTIFUL! I haven’t had any berry mousse in a while..time to make some for the weekend dessert.
Thanks so much Angie – hope you have a lovely weekend!
Tricia, this sounds SO GOOD! It makes me think of a Strawberry Crème Fraiche, a recipe I have from The Pleasures of Afternoon Tea. Although, it doesn’t call for cream cheese. It is QUITE YUMMY! I can ONLY IMAGINE just HOW GOOD your recipe is WITH the cream cheese!!!!! 😉
Don’t you just love berries Becky? Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Looks like strawberry heaven to me! I love recipes like this that just let the strawberries shine! Your pictures do too, Tricia!
Thanks Chris – I am really looking forward to the berries this year. Hope you have a lovely weekend.
Strawberry season should be here in about a month and we’ll save this to try then.
I know and I can’t wait. Thanks for stopping by Larry!
That’s such a beautiful, light fluffy dessert. I can’t wait to give it a try. 🙂
You won’t be sorry Maureen – it’s full of strawberry flavor yet light and refreshing. Yummy!
Oh my goodness. This is the prettiest shade of pink I've ever seen! And the best strawberries I've ever seen. I miss the days when you could choose your own. Another winner, Tricia!
I love everything about this – the strawberries, how pink it all is, the lemon whipped cream. I want to reach into my laptop and grab one of the glasses!
Gorgeous! An outstanding dessert for any occasion.
i can't tell you the last time I made mousse! Girl! Tricia this looks divine and so fresh and season perfect. My grandmother always made lemon mousse and lemon meringue pies- brings back good memories.
Perfect dessert for this season, and your photos are so stunning! Would love to try this soon, thanks for the recipe!<br />Have a wonderful week! xxoo
I'm definitely saving this, Tricia, when local strawberries show up in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the detailed (and beautiful!) instructions. Julia Child couldn't have done it better!<br />:) [email protected]
Hi Tricia, these pictures of the strawberries are amazing, love how they look you have truly captured there beauty. Great recipe you really are the Queen of desserts.
I am going to save room for just this dessert! It looks gorgeous and those strawberries are FRESH!
Hi Tricia, you did such a great job photographing the strawberries, they are just gorgeous. You are definitely the queen of desserts, this looks amazing! Love Cooks Illustrated!
Those strawberries look like you just picked them from the strawberry patch Tricia. You definitely did due diligence! Beautiful pictures and the mouse looks so smooth, silky and scrumptious! I'm fan of CI too!
Such a beautiful pink color! Just in time for strawberry season too. 🙂
Oh my! This sounds & looks WONDERFUL! Thanks for showing us Tricia!!!:)
Definitely worth leaving room for. I may even forgo normal food so that I can have two.
Definitely worth saving room for. Might even forgo normal food and have two.
I'm not surprised you're a big fan of Cook's Illustrated. The care and attention to details comes through in all your cooking and baking. I love to watch the show but I have to admit I lack the discipline/skills/patience/commitment to attack the more intricate recipes. : ) I'll just watch and see what you cook up. Glad you had a great Mother's Day. My weekend was
Gorgeous as always — the light in your photos is so bright and beautiful, Tricia, I'm envious!
Looks like a delicious treat Tricia and perfect for berry season.