A light & airy lemon mousse that is elegant, delicious and utterly simple to make (love that combination).
Formulated with lower sugar to preserve its irresistible tang, this mousse has big bright citrus flavor tucked into its pillowy texture creating a refreshing contrast to heavier winter meals… (and of course it’s packed with vitamin C which also comes in handy this time of year).
~ all you need is some fresh lemon juice, egg whites, cream and a sprinkle of sugar for balance and in just a few minutes you’ll have these fluffy lovelies tucked in the fridge ready to enjoy.
Highlights of this Lemon Mousse ▼
- fresh & tangy ~ this is not a cloying mousse; it has a robust lemon flavor with just the right touch of sweet so that you’re not stuck in the pucker position for the rest of the evening
- light & airy texture (what i imagine a wisp of cloud might taste like, rather dreamy)
- palate cleansing ~ ideal after a holiday meal
- made with winter citrus ~ packed with vitamin C because mother nature doesn’t mess up
- quick & easy to whip up (while managing to look (somewhat) fancy and tasting luxurious)
Top Tips for Success ▼
- use fresh eggs to make your mousse sing
- have all of your ingredients measured out and dessert glasses/bowls ready to go (mise en place) before you start whipping the cream — once you start, you want to keep moving through the recipe until the mousse is in the fridge (this will not take long, less than 10 minutes) ~ the flow is important so that your mousse doesn’t start falling (losing its air pockets) before it has a chance to set
- read the directions in the recipe card before beginning – it’s not a complicated recipe but the order and method are important for its success
hope you enjoy this treat as much as we do, Cheers, x
Light & Luscious Lemon Mousse (only 4-Ingredients!)
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A light & airy mousse with fresh and bright lemon flavor that can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes with only 4-ingredients!
Author: kelly
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, separated (2 Tbsp/2 Tbsp)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 5 Tbsp granulated sugar (use white sugar if you prefer the mousse be the color of snow ;-))
For Garnish: 4 lemon slices (I use smaller lemons for this) + 1 tsp lemon zest
For Glassware: you will end up with about 4 ounces (120 ml/ half cup) of mousse for each of the 4 portions -- choose any dessert glass/bowl you like with at least 6 ounce capacity -- martini glasses are perfect for this (and festive) but so too are little glass pots (recycled jam/condiment jars etc are great!) and you can dress them up as you like.
Instructions
- Start by separating egg whites (egg whites whip best when not too cold) and measuring out lemon juice, sugar and cream. Have 4 glasses/bowls ready for the mousse (you will end up with about 4 ounces (120 ml) of mousse for each of the 4 portions so a 6 ounce capacity is ideal). nb: It's important to have your mise en place all set so that the mousse doesn't start falling while you prep.
- In a large bowl, start beating the heavy cream and then slowly drizzle in 2 Tbsp of lemon juice as you keep beating until soft-medium peaks form (not too stiff/ not too soft), set aside.nb: you may notice the cream thickening up quicker than usual because of the addition of the lemon juice (the fat in the cream prevents the protein from clumping tightly; instead of curdling as it would with milk, the mixture goes on to thicken, magic).
- In a separate medium sized bowl, beat together the remaining 2 Tbsp lemon juice with the egg whites until frothy, add the sugar gradually, and continue beating until light, fluffy and frothy (the mixture should become opaque and nearly at the soft peak stage).
- Without delay, slowly invert the egg white mixture into the cream mixture gently folding it in using a soft spatula with broad gentle strokes - continue to fold until it is fully combined (the consistency should be soft and creamy).
- Divide the mousse among the 4 glasses/bowls and then place in fridge straight away to set for at least 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours) -- nb: the longer the mousse sits in the fridge, the more likely the cream & citrus/acid will separate - it will still taste wonderful but the lemon juice may start to pool at the bottom of the glass rather than remain fully integrated in the creamy mixture; this typically happens after 2 hours.
- Remove mousse from fridge and decorate with a sprinkle of zest and a slice of lemon slice, or as desired, before serving.
The recipe worked up nicely but it’s not very lemony. I was very disappointed with the lack of flavor.
hi Trish, sorry to hear the flavour didn’t punch through for you — while the mousse has a lighter, airy texture compared to denser desserts like pudding, we’ve always found it to be nicely tart; i wonder if lemon variety/seasonality might have played a role.
Light, fresh and wonderfully tart. We loved it, thank you!
I pinned you lemon mousse and can’t wait to give it a try. Lemon is my favorite dessert flavor.
Delicious!! We did a test run 👍 Thank you for the detailed instructions and great recipe.
Ahh, so happy to hear that! (and so wise to do a dry run before the big day, heeheh) – thrilled it worked out for you, thank you for letting me know; happy holidays!
Wonderful lemony treat! Love the delicious light and fluffy texture.
lip-smacking lemony deliciousness :))
Oh how I do love a tangy-lemon dessert. One that sings lemon like this! So pretty too. And it seems light enough for the perfect finish to a heavier holiday meal. And it’s festive too. Merry Christmas Kelly, hope you are well and enjoying your weather as we freeze our bits off ;-)
eek! keep those bits warm girl ;0) and safe from the storm… thinking of you, Merry Christmas to you too Eva, and many blessings for the new year, x