Light, airy, and bursting with bright citrus flavor, this lemon mousse is a dreamy dessert for lemon lovers. Made by folding together whipped egg whites, homemade lemon curd (without butter), and billowy whipped cream, it has a luscious, cloud-like texture. Whether you're craving a refreshing lemon dessert or need a make-ahead treat, this recipe is a guaranteed hit every time.
For fifty years, Amelia's restaurant on Balboa Island was a beloved landmark in Southern California. Though it's now closed, their famous lemon mousse left a lasting impression-and inspired this recipe. Making lemon mousse is surprisingly simple: first, cook the lemon curd, then whip the egg whites and cream, and finally, fold everything together. Prepare it a few hours ahead, chill, and serve when ready for a light, elegant dessert.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It's alight and wairy dessert with fantastic flavor.
- if you love lemon, you'll love this lemon mousse!
- Easy to make, and make ahead.
For another tasty dessert mouse, try this white chocolate mousse.
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs: large, un-cracked eggs.
- Lemons: Fresh lemons, for the juice and zest. If you have Meyer lemons, all the better but you can make it with any type of lemon.
- Cream: Buy heavy whipping cream with a high butterfat content.
- Sugar: Use either white sugar, superfine white sugar, natural unrefined sugar, or granular monk fruit.
Chef's tip on a double boiler: It's a gentle, indirect method of cooking for touchy things like egg yolks. Place a large saucepan on the stove top with a few inches of water in it. Bring the water to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Choose a stainless steel or glass bowl that will fit on top and partially inside the pan so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you're reducing sugar in your diet, replace half the sugar with a monk fruit blend. It also works with all monk fruit. Here is the monk fruit blend I use.
- Make it an orange mousse instead of lemon with orange juice and zest.
- Make it a lime mousse with lime juice and zest.
- If you want to use more whipped cream on top as garnish, buy ½ cup of extra heavy cream, whip it separately with a little sugar.
For another terrific mousse flavor, try this white chocolate mousse.
Chef's note: For a true lemon curd you'd add butter, but it's not needed for this recipe.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Make the lemon curd. Set up a double boiler. In a medium bowl, whip the egg yolks by hand with a whisk until thick and pale in color (and get a good arm workout).
Step 2: Whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place the bowl on the saucepan of barley simmering water (double boiler set-up) and cook yolks, whisking continually. In a few minutes it transforms into a thick light curd. You will know when it is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and you can draw your finger through it and the line stays.
Step 3: Whip the egg whites until stiff and glossy. For hands-free preparation use a standing mixer with a wire whip attachment or a hand mixer with beaters. Clean the whip or beaters, then use them to whip the cream. See note below recipe.
Step 4: Lastly, whip your cream. The cream should be very cold, and use the clean beaters from whipping the egg whites.
Step 5: Finish the mousse. Combine all three parts by gently folding together with a flexible spatula (or gently whisk together). Cover and chill your mousse until serving time.
For another delicious lemon dessert, try this easy lemon posset. Just 3 ingredients!
Serving and Storage
To serve lemon mousse, I like to spoon it into glasses and add fresh berries. Use stemmed wine glasses if you have them. Top with fresh mint if you'd like for nice color. I often use fresh raspberries, but blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, even pomegranate seeds work well.
If you want to use more whipped cream on top as garnish, buy ½ cup of extra heavy cream, whip it separately with a little sugar, then spoon onto the top at serving.
Lemon mousse can be made a few hours, even up to a day ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated.
Recipe FAQs
If you need a dairy-free lemon mousse (no cream), use stiffly whipped coconut cream instead, or try one of the non-dairy heavy cream replacements.
Lemon mousse can be made a day or two ahead of time for the best flavor and texture. It may need to be re-whisked or blended. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Serve lemon mousse casually in simple glasses or for a fancier presentation use stemmed wine glasses. Top with berries of choice and some fresh mint leaves for color.
When folding the whipped cream into the lemon mousse base, fold gently so you don't deflate the mousse and keep it's airy texture.
More Lemon Recipes
Love lemon? Try this lemon almond cake, or lemon thyme brussels sprouts. Maybe you'd rather have lemon ice cream? It's divine.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Mousse
Equipment
- Hand mixer with beaters or standing mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs separated
- ½ cup natural granulated sugar OR monk fruit blend, or ½ and ½
- 2 large lemons zested, juiced and juice strained
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream well chilled
Optional Garnishes
- ½ cup fresh berries or more
- fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup whipped heavy cream lightly sweetened
Instructions
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks while they are cold (it's a little easier) and set the whites aside to come to room temperature for better volume when you whip them.
- Set up a double boiler. Place a large saucepan on the stove top with a few inches of water in it. Bring the water almost to a boil and turn down to simmer. Choose a stainless steel or glass bowl that will fit on top yet partially inside the pan taking care that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the hot water.
- In the bowl, whip egg yolks with a whisk until thick and pale in color, then whisk in the sugar, 4 tablespoons of strained lemon juice and the lemon zest. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan of hot water and cook yolks, whisking until it sets, thickens, and forms a thick pudding or custard, 5-6 minutes. You will know when it it ready when the curd coats the back of a spoon. You'll be able to draw your finger through it and the line stays. Remove the bowl of lemon custard and set aside to cool. See note below for faster cooling
- While curd is cooling, whip egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks with a standing mixer fitted with a whip attachment or a hand mixer with beaters. Next, whip the cream in a separate bowl. When custard is cool, gently combine all three parts: custard, whipped egg whites and whipped cream. Chill until serving time.
To Serve
- Serve in stemmed wine glasses or regular glasses topped with berries and garnished with mint. If you want to top with extra sweetened whipped cream, that's another option.
Notes
Nutrition
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