🍋🇫🇷 Mousse au Citron (French Lemon Mousse)
A traditional French dessert made with fresh lemons, eggs, sugar, and cream — elegant, refreshing, and surprisingly simple.
⭐ Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
Lemon Base
- 3 large lemons (zest of 2, juice of all — about ½ cup juice)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
Egg White Meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Optional Garnishes
- Lemon zest
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries
- Mint leaves
- Crushed biscuits or shortbread
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Lemon Curd Base
- In a saucepan, whisk together:
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- ¾ cup sugar
- Egg yolks
- Place over medium–low heat and cook, stirring constantly.
- Heat until it thickens like curd (5–8 minutes).
- Do NOT let it boil hard — it may scramble.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and let cool completely.
(Speed tip: place the pan over an ice bath and stir.)
2. Whip the Heavy Cream
- In a cold bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks.
- Add vanilla if using.
- Refrigerate until needed.
3. Make the French Meringue
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.
- Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Beat until glossy, firm peaks form.
4. Combine and Fold
- Stir the cooled lemon curd to loosen it.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream (use a spatula).
- Add the meringue in two additions, folding carefully so you don’t deflate it.
- Mix just until uniform and airy.
5. Chill & Serve
- Spoon mousse into glasses, ramekins, or bowls.
- Chill at least 2 hours to set.
- Serve with:
- Lemon zest
- Fresh berries
- A mint leaf
- Crushed biscuits
🧊 Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Not suitable for freezing (texture changes).
⭐ Tips for Truly French, Airy Mousse
- Separate eggs carefully — any yolk in whites prevents whipping.
- Make sure the lemon curd is fully cooled before folding.
- Fold gently using “scooping” motions to keep maximum airiness.
- Use fresh lemons — bottled juice dulls the flavor.