Strawberry mousse in verrines

Ingredients

• 600 g Fresh strawberries (Wash, hull, cut in half for the compote and in pieces for the purée)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 50 g for the compote, 100 g for the mousse)
• 30 ml Lemon juice (About 2 tablespoons, fresh)
• 1 Vanilla bean (Scrape the seeds and keep the pod for infusion)
• 2 feuilles Sheet gelatin (Rehydrate 10 min in cold water, then drain)
• 3 Egg whites (Large eggs, at room temperature)
• 200 ml Heavy cream (Very cold, ideally placed 10 min in the freezer before use)
• 8 Additional fresh strawberries (For decorating the verrines)

Instructions

1. Prepare the strawberry compote

   Wash 300 g of strawberries, cut them in half and place them in a saucepan. Add 50 g of sugar and 15 ml of lemon juice. Mix lightly.

   Time: PT5M

2. Cook the compote

   Heat over medium‑low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the juice evaporates slightly and the texture thickens.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: feu moyen‑doux

3. Lightly blend the compote

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, quickly blend with an immersion blender to keep some pieces. Transfer to a container and let cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT2M

4. Rehydrate the gelatin

   Place 2 sheets of gelatin in a bowl of cold water and let rest 10 minutes. Then, drain the gelatin.

   Time: PT10M

5. Prepare the strawberry purée

   Wash the remaining 300 g of strawberries, cut into pieces and blend with the immersion blender until a smooth purée is obtained.

   Time: PT5M

6. Cook the purée with sugar, lemon and vanilla

   Pour half of the purée (≈150 g) into a saucepan, add 100 g of sugar, 15 ml of lemon juice, the seeds of the vanilla bean and the split pod. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes then simmer for an additional 3 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: feu moyen

7. Incorporate the gelatin and cool

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the drained gelatin and mix until fully dissolved. Incorporate the remaining cold strawberry purée, mix well, then let cool to room temperature.

   Time: PT5M

8. Prepare the verrines

   Attach strawberry slices along the inner rim of each verrine.

   Time: PT5M

9. Whip the egg whites

   In a clean, dry bowl, beat the 3 egg whites on high speed until firm peaks form.

   Time: PT5M

10. Fold the cooled purée into the whites

    Add the cooled strawberry purée to the whipped whites in three batches, gently folding with a spatula each addition until a homogeneous mousse is achieved.

    Time: PT5M

11. Whisk the heavy cream

    Place the bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the very cold cream and whisk until a firm yet supple consistency is reached.

    Time: PT5M

12. Fold the cream into the mousse

    Add the whipped cream to the strawberry‑white mousse in three batches, lifting the mixture with the spatula each addition.

    Time: PT5M

13. Fill the verrines

    Place 3 tablespoons of strawberry compote at the bottom of each verrine, then fill with the mousse up to the edge of the strawberry slices.

    Time: PT5M

14. Refrigerate and decorate

    Place the verrines in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours. Before serving, decorate the top with a whole strawberry or a half‑strawberry.

    Time: PT0M

    Temperature: 4°C

Nutrition Facts

Calories

310

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

38 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Fresh strawberries: raspberries, blueberries
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar, honey (reduce the amount)
• Instead of Lemon juice: apple cider vinegar (½ amount)
• Instead of Vanilla bean: vanilla extract (½ teaspoon)
• Instead of Sheet gelatin: powdered gelatin (2.5 g), agar‑agar (1 g)
• Instead of Egg whites: pasteurized egg whites
• Instead of Heavy cream: plant‑based whipped cream (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Additional fresh strawberries: other red fruits

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan
• Immersion blender
• Stainless steel bowl
• Electric whisk (mixer)
• Silicone spatula
• Gelatin container
• Verrines (5‑6)
• Kitchen scale
• Fine sieve (optional) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the compote until thickened
• Complete dissolution of the gelatin
• Whipping the egg whites to firm peaks
• Delicate incorporation of the purée into the whites to avoid deflating them
• Whipping the very cold cream

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use seasonal strawberries for optimal flavor.
• Place the bowl and whisk in the freezer before whipping the cream to achieve maximum volume.
• Lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving for an extra decorative touch.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the covered verrines in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended – the mousse texture deteriorates.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the compote the day before and keep it chilled.
• The mousse can be prepared up to 2 hours before assembling the verrines, then stored in the refrigerator.