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This lemon mousse is a ray of bright citrusy sunshine after a long winter; a palate cleanser to get you geared up for spring. It's both rich and refreshing, and can be served chilled or frozen. Either way, top it off with a dollop of basil scented whipped cream for some spring-inspired sophistication.

Servings: 6-8

Ready Time: Ready in: 18 hours, 25 minutes (includes overnight chilling)

Lemon mousse

1/2 cup lemon juice

4 egg yolks

1 whole egg

2/3 cup (135 grams) sugar

2 egg whites

2 tbsp sugar

2/3 cup whipping cream

Basil scented whipped cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Small bunch of fresh basil (approx. 8 leaves)

2 tbsp icing sugar

Method

Whisk together the lemon juice, four egg yolks (set aside two of the whites), one whole egg, and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium heat-proof bowl.

Place the bowl over a small pot of gently simmering water and stir until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 7 to12 minutes.

Remove from heat. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming, place in the fridge to cool for 3 to 4 hours before moving to the next step. If you are in a rush, the curd can be placed in the freezer to set faster, just don’t allow it to freeze.

Once the curd has chilled completely, place the two egg whites in the bowl of a mixer and whip on high until foamy. With the mixer still running, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar into the egg whites and continue to whip until they form stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the lemon curd, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

In the same bowl, whip the 2/3 cup cream until stiff, then fold into the lemon mousse. Divide into ramekins or small jars, cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill overnight in the fridge to set.

While the mousse is chilling, prepare the basil scented whipped cream. Pour 1/2 cup of cream into a bowl, and add the basil leaves. Use a spoon or pestle to press and crush the leaves to release their flavour, then cover the cream and allow to steep overnight in the fridge.

To serve, remove the basil from the cream, add the 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and whip until stiff. Top each mousse with a dollop of cream and serve.

The mousse will keep in the fridge for 2 – 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 weeks. It can be served straight from the freezer as a frozen treat.

Note: This recipe contains raw eggs, please use caution. We recommend using fresh, refrigerated eggs and avoiding contact between the egg and its shell. If you are concerned about consuming raw eggs, you can increase the whipped cream folded into the mousse to 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp and skip the egg whites entirely.

Stephanie Eddy, who writes about her baking exploits at clockworklemon.com, lives in Calgary.

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