Category Archives: Fruit

Fruit mousses take a bit of work, but the technical frills are worth the extra-silky and luxurious result. Mango is very nice, but many kinds of fruit will work (see the below recipe). Start by peeling two large, ripe mangoes. Yes, I know this is a composite shot, but as you already know, I only have two hands.

This aftermath of this attempted action shot required a bandaid.

Oh well, live and learn. Slice and/or scoop the mango flesh away from the pit.

Combine the flesh with the sugar in a food processor and purée until smooth.

Pour the purée into a fine mesh sieve…

…and using a spatula, press it through until you have nothing but about a tablespoon of fruit fibers left. This step will take you 5-10 minutes, but you want to take the time, trust me.

Add the lemon juice to the sieved purée and stir.

Now pour one third of the purée into a small saucepan and bring it up to a simmer. Sprinkle on the gelatin…

…and stir it in. Keep stirring until it melts completely.

Pour the mixture, along with the rest of the purée, into a medium bowl and whisk it together thoroughly. Allow this to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.

The next part of the process is like a little dance. The idea is to have the purée at the perfect temperature and the cream at the perfect consistency right at the same time. Since cooling the purée all the way right away will cause the gelatin to set up prematurely, and whipping the cream all the way right away risks a semi-melted or over-whipped end product, you want to do each in stages. So, while the purée is cooling, pour the cream into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whip.

Whip it. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath for the bowl of mango purée. When the cream is whipped more or less to soft peaks…

…place the purée bowl into the ice water bath.

Keep scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to keep the mixture from setting up in large clumps. When you see these sorts of “curds” starting to form, you’re ready to complete the mousse. Remove the purée bowl from the ice water bath.

Promptly whip the cream to stiff peaks…

Then whip in the purée.

Whew! You’re done. Pour the mousse into the mold you’re prepared.

Or, spoon it into bowls and eat!

This is a bit of a bother to make, but your rewards will be great in fruit mousse heaven.

2-3 ripe 1-pound mangoes
3 ounces (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream

Peel the mangoes and scoop the flesh away from the seeds. You want about 20 ounces of fruit. Purée the flesh and the sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add the lemon juice and strain the mixture through a sieve.

Pour about a third of the purée into a small saucepan, warm it gently, then add the gelatin, stirring it until it dissolves. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the rest of the purée. Allow it to cool, stirring it from time to time. When the purée is close to room temperature, whip the cream to soft peaks.

Immerse the bowl of purée in an ice bath. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula until you notice the mousse beginning to thicken. When that happens, remove the bowl from the bath and whip the cream the rest of the way to stiff peaks. Whip in the mango purée, then immediately pour the purée in the appropriate mold.

This mousse can be made with any number of fruits, though you might have to adjust the sugar a bit according to the fruit and your taste. Follow the same procedure with 20 ounces (2 1/2 cups) of puréed and sieved raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas or blackberries. It also works with poached peaches, apricots, pineapples, kiwis, apples or pears, though you’ll probably need to add a little color to these, since poached fruit bavarians can look a little dull.