Strawberry Mousse With Mascarpone Recipe

Strawberry mousse is an eggless, gluten-free dessert made with fruit purée, whipped cream, and often a stabilizer like gelatin. Lighter and more fruit-forward than chocolate mousse, this dessert is satisfying without feeling heavy.

Strawberry mousse is highly customizable and straightforward to make. Here are a few helpful tips:

1. 1. Add chocolate. Strawberry and chocolate go hand in hand. Elevate the strawberry flavor with dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or even melted milk chocolate to flavor each bite.
2. 2. Diversify your garnishes. A garnish of fresh strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar is a classic, but feel free to experiment with other fruits, such as blueberries or raspberries, or top your mousse with chocolate shavings.
3. 3. Incorporate the mousse into other strawberry desserts. Use strawberry mousse as a homemade mousse cake filling, cheesecake topper, a frosting alternative for chocolate cake, or even a topping for cupcakes. It’s also incredible atop a meringue, à la pavlova.
4. 4. Keep the mixture chilled. As it warms, the air suspended within the cream releases, and the whipped cream begins to weep. Cold whipped cream keeps its shape and will stay set when chilled. Keep everything cool until you are ready to eat.
5. 5. Make a trifle. Adding lots of fresh berries, whipped cream, and ladyfingers or pound cake turns a simple mousse into a celebratory trifle. Use this strawberry trifle recipe as a guide.
6. 6. Run the mixture through a strainer. For the smoothest texture, strain the strawberry purée numerous times throughout the cooking process.
7. 7. Use different thickeners. Unflavored gelatin sheets or gelatine powder are the most popular thickeners for mousse. You can add a slurry of cornstarch and water to your fruit purée, but keep in mind that it has to boil for the starch to activate and thicken the mousse. Other options are agar, whipped egg whites, or xanthan gum. Expect subtle differences in flavor depending on the thickener you use. Learn more about agar vs. gelatin.
8. 8. Use frozen strawberries. If you cannot get your hands on fresh berries, just swap in frozen ones. Frozen berries often get frozen at the peak of their freshness, so the mousse’s flavor might be even more robust.

To store mousse, transfer it to a container, press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the mousse, and cover with a lid or foil. Store the mousse in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. Let frozen mousse thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.