This light, creamy, and fluffy lemon mousse tastes like no other! The incredibly airy mousse melts in your mouth with a burst of bright lemon flavor. It is a perfect make-ahead dessert for all lemon lovers!


Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Secrets to the airy & fluffy texture
- Ingredients To Make Lemon Mousse
- Tools To Make Lemon Mousse
- Step-by-Step Instructions To Make Lemon Mousse
- Tips For Making Lemon Mousse Cake With This Mousse
- How To Store It
- FAQ
- More Lemon Desserts
- VIDEO: Watch How To Make It!
- Printable Recipe
- Fluffy & Light Lemon Mousse
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly light & airy: The texture is the best thing about this mousse. The fluffiness feels so dreamy in a mouth!
- Perfectly citrusy: The lemon curd base made from fresh lemons makes a refreshing flavor that is not too intense yet perfectly tangy.
- Creamy texture: It is light yet so creamy.
- Gluten-free & no-bake dessert: I feel less guilty eating it even at a dinner party after a heavy meal! And the lots of vitamin C is a great plus😊
This is one of my favorite mousse recipes in addition to fresh strawberry mousse, raspberry mousse, chocolate mousse, etc.
Secrets to the airy & fluffy texture
1. Less gelatin + Stiffer whipped cream
When using stiff and fluffy whipped cream like today, you will need slightly less gelatin to set your mousse. It creates a fluffier and less jello-like texture.
On the contrary, you will need more gelatin to harden the mousse when using soft whipped cream. The difference is drastic!
2. Meringue
By adding meringue, the mousse gets a lot more light and airy. Some fresh fruit mousse recipes do not add meringue and are made with only fruit puree, gelatin, and whipped cream.
Although this classic lemon mousse takes some extra steps to make, it totally worth the time and effort! If you don't care for mousse because you've had a bland and firm mousse before, I'd like you to try this one.


Ingredients To Make Lemon Mousse
Lemon Curd Base
- Granulated sugar: Use white sugar, such as caster sugar or granulated sugar.
- Egg yolks: It helps to thicken the lemon curd and add richness. Save the egg whites to make meringue. Ensure yolks are not going in the bowl of egg whites since it prevents them from whipping well.
- Lemon zest: It adds an amazing refreshing note to the mousse.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the best result.
- Unflavored gelatin: It plays an important role in setting the mousse. Whether or not you use gelatin powder or sheets, it is important to hydrate them in advance with cold water for them to do the right maximum job. Read the next section to learn more about what type of gelatin we should use.
This lemon curd base is solely created for this mousse. Check out my original homemade lemon curd recipe if you are looking for a thicker lemon curd that you can use to fill in cakes, spread on pastries, etc.
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Avoid the one with low fat to prevent the mousse from getting too loose. Choose the one with higher fat content (40 - 50 %) when you want the mousse to set better.
Italian Meringue
- Egg white: Ensure there are no liquids, oil, or dirt mixed into the egg whites or tools for the egg whites to whip well. Use dry and clean tools for the best result.
- Water: We are making hot sugar syrup by heating the water and granulated sugar.
- Granulated sugar: Use white sugar such as caster sugar or granulated sugar.

Should I use gelatin sheets or powder to make mousse?
Ultimately, it is up to you and which one is available in your area - Living in the States, gelatin sheets are not available at grocery stores, so I tend to buy them online, usually on Amazon. For this recipe, I tested many times so that I could find the amounts that worked for both of them. Check below for tips on getting the right one for you.
Gelatin Bloom:
Anytime you are making mousse, we need to check the "Bloom" of the gelatin, which is its strength. The higher the number is, the thicker your mousse gets. And the lower the number is, the softer your mousse gets. That is why it is so important to know the number before purchasing them.
The gelatin powder I used today is Knox gelatin powder, which is widely sold at most grocery stores in the United States. The bloom is 225. Although gelatin powder is not my go-to choice, I find this one does a fine job of making the amazing mousse.
For gelatin sheets, I used PerfectaGel platinum gelatin sheets. And the bloom is 230. It is my all-time favorite high-quality gelatin sheet.
When you are using gelatin sheets or powder with different blooms, you'll need to adjust the amount to get the same consistency.
Tools To Make Lemon Mousse
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment (Or hand mixer)
- Medium bowl for lemon curd
- Fine strainer
- Large bowl for whipped cream
- Small saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk (optional)
- Piping bag (optional)
- Serving glasses: One batch of the recipe is enough for 8 4-oz cups or 4 8-oz cups without fruits inside. I used 4 8-oz cups this time.
Step-by-Step Instructions To Make Lemon Mousse
Hydrate gelatin.
- When using gelatin powder: Mix it with about four to five times of icy cold water. Mix well and set it aside for about 10 minutes.
- When using gelatin sheets: Soak them in icy cold water. Wait for about 10 minutes.


Make lemon curd base.
- Add granulated sugar and egg yolks in a small saucepan and mix well.
- Add lemon zest.


- Pour some of the lemon juice in and mix well. Pour the remaining lemon juice and mix.
- Heat it at low to medium-low heat while mixing constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan evenly. Remove from the heat once it starts boiling gently.


- Strain it with a fine mesh sieve. Scrape off the bottom of the sieve so that you can save as much puree as you can.
- Add the hydrated gelatin to the hot curd and mix until it's completely melted.
- Set it aside at room temperature. Check the temperature toward the end - it should feel slightly cold. When it is still warm, cool it with ice water. Or when it gets too cold and starts thickening, warm it with hot water or the microwave just a little bit.



TIPS💡
- Yolks create lumpy pieces when they are left with sugar unmixed. Quickly mix after they are added.
- It's important to add the hydrated gelatin while this curd is still very warm. otherwise, the gelatin is not going to melt completely, which leads to looser mousse.
Make whipped cream.
Pour cold heavy cream into a large bowl and whip until it gets very fluffy and stiff. Set it aside in the fridge.


TIPS💡
- It is very important to whip it until it gets very fluffy and stiff to prevent the mousse from getting loose.
- When whipping it ahead and setting it aside in the fridge, check the consistency again before using it. Oftentimes, it slowly starts getting looser when it's left in the fridge for some time. Re-whip it if you need to. You can also whip heavy cream while you are whipping egg whites. I sometimes like to make it ahead so that I have extra time to prepare at the end!
Make Italian meringue.
- Add granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Ensure all the sugar is wet to prevent it from getting crystalized while heating.
- Heat it at medium heat. Brush the sides of the pan 1 - 2 times while heating. Do not shake the pot or mix the syrup until the very end to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.


- Meanwhile, whip egg whites until very fluffy. Adjust the timing to start and the speed so that you'll get the fluffy meringue by the time the hot syrup is ready.
- Remove the pot from the heat once the hot syrup reaches 244ºF (118ºC). Swirl the pot toward the end to make the temperature even and get an accurate temperature.


- Add the hot syrup to the fluffy meringue slowly from the side of the bowl while whipping it at high speed.
- Continue whipping it at high speed while the bowl or meringue is hot or very warm. Turn it down to medium-low speed when it feels gently warm. Turn it off when it cools down to room temperature. The meringue should look very stiff at this point.


TIP💡
How you add the hot syrup to the meringue is very important. By letting it slide slowly from the side while whipping the egg whites at high speed, the whisk can pick up all the syrup to make an evenly mixed Italian meringue.
Combine them all.
- Add all the meringue to the whipped cream and fold with a rubber spatula until about 50% is combined.
- Add all the lemon curd base. Fold it with a whisk until 80 - 90 % is blended. (You can also use a rubber spatula.) Switch to a spatula and finish folding until incorporated. Scrape off the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure it's evenly mixed.



TIP💡
Ensure that the meringue is not warm at this point because warm meringue is going to loosen up the whipped cream.
Divide it into glass cups and chill in the fridge.
- Quickly pipe it into the grass cups while the condition is the best.
- Chill them in the fridge for at least a few hours. Enjoy!



TIP💡
Use any glass cups to serve. today, I decided to add some fresh berries to it.
Tips For Making Lemon Mousse Cake With This Mousse
- Always freeze the cakes so that you can take them out a lot more easily from cake rings or silicone molds or to remove the cake film more beautifully. Otherwise, the surface could get very very messy!


- This mousse is incredibly light & airy with a minimum amount of gelatin because I wanted to prioritize the amazing texture. Making cakes with it is possible, but the mousse cake may look a little bit sloppy when the cake is tall or a little bit bigger. This can happen more often when you make minor mistakes, such as a little bit of softer whipped cream or Italian meringue. So I have two suggestions for you:
How to make lemon mousse cake
- First, you can wrap the side of the cake with a sponge cake. This will help to sustain the body without sacrificing the texture of the mousse.
- Second, you can add a little bit more gelatin only when you're making cakes. I highly recommend doing this when you are not covering the side with sponge cake. You can also apply both tips to minimize the risk. I'm going to share the suggested amount of gelatin in the note section of the printable recipe so that you can take a look!


How To Store It
Wrap the surface with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. You can store it for a few days in the fridge or about a month in the freezer.
Don't leave them at room temperature for a while because they're going to slowly get softer. Take them out of the fridge right before you eat!
FAQ
Yes! It is possible, but note that the mousse gets a lot softer.
Yes, you can! When making Italian meringue, whip the meringue right next to the hot syrup so that you can check the temperature at the same time. Pour the hot sugar syrup slowly from the side of the bowl while whipping the Italian meringue constantly at high speed with the other hand. All the other tips apply the same. Whipping it until it cools down takes some time, but it's certainly possible!
Use any glass cups you like, such as cocktail shot glasses, parfait glasses, drink cups, etc., for different occasions. Inside, you can add fresh fruits, graham crackers, fruit sauce, lemon curd, pieces of fluffy sponge cake, etc., to add different textures and flavors. Decorate it with fresh berries, lemon slices, herbs, whipped cream, etc., as you like!
More Lemon Desserts
If you loved this light and fresh lemon mousse, also try other scrumptious lemon dessert recipes!
VIDEO: Watch How To Make It!
Watch this video to learn how to make light and creamy lemon mousse visually and better understand each step!
Don't forget to subscribe if you liked it 😉
Printable Recipe
💬 If you loved this recipe, please share your feedback on this post! I always love hearing how you enjoyed it with your friends and family.
If you have a question about the tutorial, leave it in the comment section below, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Fluffy & Light Lemon Mousse
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer
- Medium bowl for lemon curd
- Fine strainer
- Large bowl for whipped cream
- Small saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk optional
- Piping bag optional
- Serving glasses One batch of the recipe is enough for 8 4-oz cups or 4 8-oz cups without fruits inside. I used 4 8-oz cups this time.
Ingredients
Lemon Curd Base
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 50 g Egg yolks
- 1 lemon Lemon zest
- 100 g Lemon juice
- 3.5 g Gelatin Gelatin powder: ½ bag of Knox gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon of Icy cold water, Gelatin sheet: 2 Gelatin sheets (Bloom 230) Soak them in icy water.
Whipped Cream
- 300 g Heavy cream
Italian Meringue
- 95 g Egg white
- 60 g Water
- 150 g Granulated sugar
NOTE: For best results, measure ingredients with a scale. All recipes are designed with weighed ingredients using grams/ounces. Cup measurements (US customary units) are provided for your convenience.
Instructions
- Hydrate gelatin:When using gelatin powder: Mix it with about four to five times of icy cold water. Mix well and set it aside for about 10 minutes.When using gelatin sheets: Soak them in icy cold water. Wait for about 10 minutes.
- Make lemon curd base:1. Add granulated sugar and egg yolks in a small saucepan and mix well.2. Add lemon zest.3. Pour some of the lemon juice in and mix well. Pour the remaining lemon juice and mix. 4. Heat it at low to medium-low heat while mixing constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan evenly. Remove from the heat once it starts boiling gently.5. Strain it with a fine mesh sieve. Scrape off the bottom of the sieve so that you can save as much puree as you can.6. Add the hydrated gelatin to the hot curd and mix until it's completely melted. 7. Set it aside at room temperature. Check the temperature toward the end - it should feel slightly cold. When it is still warm, cool it with ice water. Or when it gets too cold and starts thickening, warm it with hot water or the microwave just a little bit.Tips💡1. Yolks create lumpy pieces when they are left with sugar unmixed. Quickly mix after they are added.2. It's important to add the hydrated gelatin while this curd is still very warm. otherwise, the gelatin is not going to melt completely, which leads to looser mousse.50 g Granulated sugar, 50 g Egg yolks, 1 lemon Lemon zest, 100 g Lemon juice, 3.5 g Gelatin
- Make whipped cream:Pour cold heavy cream into a large bowl and whip until it gets very fluffy and stiff. Set it aside in the fridge.Tips💡1. It is very important to whip it until it gets very fluffy and stiff to prevent the mousse from getting loose.2. When whipping it ahead and setting it aside in the fridge, check the consistency again before using it. Oftentimes, it slowly starts getting looser when it's left in the fridge for some time. Re-whip it if you need to. Or, you can also whip heavy cream while you are whipping egg whites. I sometimes like to make it ahead so that I have extra time to prepare at the end!300 g Heavy cream
- Make Italian meringue:1. Add granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Ensure all the sugar is wet to prevent it from getting crystalized while heating.2. Heat it at medium heat. Brush the sides of the pan 1 - 2 times while heating. Do not shake the pot or mix the syrup until the very end to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.3. Meanwhile, whip egg whites until very fluffy. Adjust the timing to start and the speed so that you'll get the fluffy meringue by the time the hot syrup is ready.4. Remove the pot from the heat once the hot syrup reaches 244ºF (118ºC). Swirl the pot toward the end to make the temperature even and get an accurate temperature.5. Add the hot syrup to the fluffy meringue slowly from the side of the bowl while whipping it at high speed.6. Continue whipping it at high speed while the bowl or meringue is hot or very warm. Turn it down to medium-low speed when it feels gently warm. Turn it off when it cools down to room temperature. The meringue should look very stiff at this point.Tip💡How you add the hot syrup to the meringue is very important. By letting it slide slowly from the side while whipping the egg whites at high speed, the whisk can pick up all the syrup to make an evenly mixed Italian meringue.95 g Egg white, 60 g Water, 150 g Granulated sugar
- Combine them all:1. Add all the meringue to the whipped cream and fold with a rubber spatula until about 50% is combined. 2. Add all the lemon curd base. Fold it with a whisk until 80 - 90 % is blended. (You can also use a rubber spatula.) Switch to a spatula and finish folding until incorporated. Scrape off the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure it's evenly mixed. Tip💡Ensure that the meringue is not warm at this point because warm meringue is going to loosen up the whipped cream.
- Divide it into glass cups and chill in the fridge.1. Quickly pipe it into the grass cups while the condition is the best. 2. Chill them in the fridge for at least a few hours. Enjoy!Tip💡Use any glass cups to serve. today, I decided to add some fresh berries to it.
Video

pat says
looks very very interesting :), as always
I usually have some curd in the freezer ready for a new recipe, could you tell me your curd in this recipe is how much in volume ? 3/4 us cup?
huge thanks
ayacaliva says
I think it is about 170-180 g (about 3/4 US up). The curd base is thinner than regular lemon curd. with no butter!