Strawberry Mousse

Strawberries are whizzing by; the June ones are pretty much over (along with June, after all). Fortunately day-neutral varieties will continue to be available, albeit in smaller quantities, through the summer. It also works perfectly well with frozen berries, so you can make it all year 'round, especially if you can get some greenhouse ones to garnish it.

 

This is a pretty simple and straightforward take on strawberry mousse, and none the worse for that - a little lime for fragrance and a touch of honey for sweetness, and then nothing to distract from the deliciousness of strawberries and cream.

 

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes -  30 minutes prep time

PLUS 3 hours to set

 

the finely grated zest of 1/2 a lime

the juice of 1 large lime

1 tablespoon powdered gelatine

2 cups fresh or thawed from frozen strawberries

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water OR apple juice or cider

1 cup whipping cream

more fresh berries for garnishing

 

Wash and dry the lime, and grate the zest into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice and add it. Sprinkle the gelatine over it and set aside. 

 

Wash and hull the strawberries, if you are using fresh ones. 

Put the honey and water into a pot and bring to a simmer. Add the berries and simmer for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Stir regularly. 

 

Remove the berries from the heat and add the gelatine and lime juice to the pan. Stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Mash the berries with a potato masher.

 

Put the whipping cream into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the berries and cream together (in either the pot or the bowl; whichever seems more amenable to containing them both). Transfer to a single or individual serving dishes, and chill until set; at least 3 hours. Serve garnished with whole or sliced fresh berries.