Thread by @lifesafeast

You've been so good so you deserve the recipe for

Lemon Mascarpone & Fromage Blanc Mousse

Simple to put together, light, ethereal yet sassy with tart, tangy, bright lemon flavor with just the perfect balance of sweetness. Chill & serve in glasses or use it for a fabulous

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Charlotte like I did using a lemon sponge baked in jellyroll pans.

Keep chilled for up to 5 days - it only gets better!

Fromage blanc or fromage frais is like quark or Greek yogurt. I use low fat.

Ready?

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INGREDIENTS lemon mousse

1 cup (250 grams) fromage frais or fromage blanc 0% fat or Greek yogurt
1 cup (250 grams) mascarpone
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoons (6 grams) powdered gelatin
2 lemons, zested then juiced
¼ cup (50 grams) sugar

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(sorry posted too quickly, the ingredients are not in order used so pay attention)

Begin by placing the gelatin with the juice of 2 lemons into a small saucepan & allow the gelatin to soften for 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes, slowly heat the lemon juice over low

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heat, stirring with a whisk, until the liquid gets hot (do NOT let this boil) and the gelatin melts/dissolves & completely disappears. This takes 3 – 5 minutes. Remove from the heat & allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk or beat the fromage frais & the

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mascarpone together with the lemon zest, the sugar & vanilla.

Whisk in the lemon juice with the gelatin.

Using very clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff.

Fold a third of the whites into the lemon/mascarpone mixture.

Fold half of the remaining whites into

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the lemon mixture then the rest of the whites until all of the whites are folded in & no lumps remain. It should be smooth & very light & fluffy.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & allow to chill in the refrigerator until set just enough so it can be spooned into

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cake-lined molds without running or oozing through the gaps.

If you want to chill & serve the mousse in a individual glasses, pudding dishes, ramekins or other closed molds,
you can use the mousse immediately and pour to fill.

Once chilled & beginning to set without

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being too firm (you want to spoon it) you can prepare your Charlottes: you can use any size: either one 8-inch dish or ring, or single, individual serving-sized molds, or molds for two & molds to serve 4: cut out circles of cake (baked flat in jellyroll pans) to fit the

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bottom of each mold.

Place each mold fitted with a sponge cake base either on dessert plates or on a parchment lined baking sheet, which will fit in your refrigerator.

Now cut out pieces of cake to line the sides of your Charlotte – I used my heart-shaped cookie

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cutter, but you can cut out strips which then line the sides of the mold in one piece/strip or any shape you like. Line the sides of the mold sitting on top of the base cake round (see my photos)

Fill the cake-lined mold with the Lemon Mousse filling all the way to

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the top. Once the molds are all filled, simply cover loosely with plastic wrap & refrigerate overnight. Or two.

The following day the mousse will be set, smooth & creamy - but I find that after an extra second day in the fridge the flavor becomes crisper, a deep lemon

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flavor with just the perfect balance of sweetness and the texture is one step closer to the perfect cheesecake texture albeit much lighter & creamier than a classic cheesecake.

Dust the top of the Charlotte with cocoa powder for an elegant finish.

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I'll share the recipe for the lemon sponge cake tomorrow.