Light & Airy Strawberry Mousse with Strawberry Sauce (+VIDEO)

I'm sharing how to make light & airy amazing strawberry mousse from fresh strawberries! This dessert does not disappoint you if you love strawberries; It tastes VERY strawberry. It contains a lot of fresh strawberry puree but is not dense or overly hard; the light mousse melts in your mouth!

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strawberry mousse with strawberry sauce and fresh strawberries

I'm also sharing how to make a very simple delicious strawberry sauce to go with it. You can make it in just a minute!

I have a special place in my heart for strawberry desserts: strawberry shortcake, fruit tart, strawberry cheesecake, ...etc. I love the amazing smell and perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. I am so excited to share this recipe especially if you are a strawberry fan like myself😉

❤️ I love this cream cheese frosting because:

It's so light and airy and not dense.
You can enjoy it in many shapes and sizes: from small cups to a whole cake!
I do not need to buy an expensive strawberry puree to make the mousse. We make it from fresh strawberries!
Great use to consume not-so-sweet B+ strawberries. You can turn them into this delicious dessert.

In this post, you'll learn essential baking tips such as:

Things to be careful of when you use gelatin.
How to make homemade strawberry puree at home
2 secrets to the light and airy mousse
How to make Italian meringue in some simple steps
How to make the simple homemade strawberry sauce ... and so on!

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📌 2 Secrets To The Light & Airy Mousse
📌 What's In Strawberry Mousse?
📌 10 Steps To Make Strawberry Mousse
📌 How To Make Strawberry Mousse (with More Tips & Images)
📌 How To Make Strawberry Sauce
📌 Uses For Strawberry Mousse
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
📌 VIDEO: Strawberry Mousse
📌 Printable Recipe
Light & Airy Strawberry Mousse

📌 2 Secrets To The Light & Airy Mousse

1. Less gelatin + Stiffer whipped cream

When you use soft whipped cream, you will need more gelatin to harden the mousse. By using stiff and fluffy whipped cream like today, you will need slightly less gelatin to set your mousse which means you can create a fluffier and less jelly-like texture.

Just make sure that you do not overwhip the heavy cream until it gets separated.

2. Meringue

Another reason is adding meringue. You can still call it mousse even if you don't add meringue. But by adding it, the mousse gets airier and you'll need less gelatin to harden it. That is why I always like to add meringue to any fruit mousse.

📌 What's In Strawberry Mousse?

7 simple ingredients

Strawberry puree

Strawberry, Pureed and strained
- Today, we are making mousse from fresh strawberries. You do not need to strain it if you want to leave the seeds.
Gelatin
- I used gelatin sheets but you can also use gelatin powder. Just follow the instruction in the package to see if you need to mix it with cold water beforehand.
Lemon juice
- It brightens the color more and enhances the strawberry flavor more.

Whipped cream

Heavy cream
- It helps to create a fluffy texture.

Italian meringue

Egg white
- Make sure no yolk, oils, or liquids are mixed in the egg whites so that it'll whip up really well to create a fluffy Italian meringue.
Granulated sugar for egg white

hot syrup

Granulated sugar for syrup
- Heat sugar and water together to make hot syrup. Heat it to 246 - 248 F | 119 - 120 C
Water

Strawberry sauce (optional)

Strawberry, pureed and strained
Granulated sugar
Lemon juice

📍 The printable recipe is at the very end of this post.

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📌 10 Steps To Make Strawberry Mousse

Strawberry Puree

Hydrate gelatin in cold water.
- First, we are going to soak the gelatin sheet in ice water for about 10 minutes to let it hydrate. You can also use gelatin powder: follow the instruction in the package to see if you need to mix it with cold water beforehand.
Cut strawberries, puree them, and strain them.
- Today I'm making strawberry mousse and strawberry sauce, so I'm pureeing strawberries for both of them at the same time so that I don't have to do it twice!
- From there, take the amount for the mousse. Save the rest for the sauce: Set it aside in the fridge so that we can use it later!
Heat about ⅓ of the puree and melt hydrated gelatin in it.
- Gelatin melts at temperatures higher than 50 - 60 celsius. There is no need to boil the puree but make sure that it is hot enough to melt the gelatin.
- Add about half of the rest of the puree and mix.
- And pour it back into the bowl and mix well.
Add lemon juice to the puree.

Whipped Cream

Whip heavy cream until it gets very stiff and fluffy. Set it aside in the fridge.

Italian Meringue

Whip egg white until it gets very fluffy. (Add sugar once it looks bubbly.)
Meanwhile, make the hot syrup: 246 - 248 F | 119 - 120 C
- Heat sugar and water at medium heat.
- Brush the side with water at least one time or a couple of times while it's heating.
- Immediately remove it from the heat once it reaches the temperature and use it while it's very hot.
Add the hot syrup to the fluffy meringue.
- Slowly add the hot syrup to the meringue from the side of your bowl while mixing at high speed.
- Continue whipping it at high speed while it's hot.
- And once you feel it is slightly warm, lower the speed to medium-low speed and continue whipping until you don't feel the temperature when you touch them.
Mix whipped cream and Italian meringue.
- Re-whip it if the whipped cream got looser.
- Mix them roughly.
Fold strawberry puree in it.
- First, add about ⅓ of strawberry puree and fold until they are blended roughly. You can also use a spatula instead. again, do not over-mix here at all so that you do not kill too many air bubbles in meringue to make a light and airy mousse.
- Next, add half of the puree and mix the same way.
- And add the rest of the puree and mix the same way.
- Finally, clean the bowl with a spatula. Flip the bottom and fold until everything is evenly blended.

Use it right away while the condition is the best!

Strawberry Sauce (optional)

Heat pureed strawberries, sugar, and lemon until it starts boiling gently.

Next, let it cool completely. That's it!

📌 How To Make Strawberry Mousse (with More Tips & Images)

Now, let me share detailed tips on each step that are crucial for making strawberry mousse successfully.

Step 1: Hydrate gelatin in cold water for about 10 mins.

First, we are going to soak the gelatin sheet in ice water. you can also use gelatin powder: just follow the instruction in the package to see if you need to mix it with cold water beforehand.

💬 Oftentimes, you'll need to mix gelatin powder in 4-5 times more amounts of very cold water and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Cut strawberries, puree them, and strain them.

Today I'm making strawberry mousse and strawberry sauce, so I'm pureeing strawberries for both of them so that I don't have to do it twice!

💬 Cut off the white parts if you want slightly stronger flavors and more vivid colors.

Puree it until it looks very nice and smooth. You can also use a juicer if you do not have a food processor.

Today we are straining it to remove seeds and create a more smooth texture. You do not need to strain if you want to leave seeds in your mousse.

And from there, take the amount for the mousse. The rest is for the sauce: Set it aside in the fridge so that we can use it later!

Step 3: Heat about ⅓ of the puree and melt hydrated gelatin in it.

I used a microwave today to heat puree. You can also heat it in a pot.

👩🏻‍🍳 Gelatin melts at temperatures higher than 50 - 60 celsius. no need to boil the puree but make sure that it is hot enough to melt the gelatin.

If you are using a gelatin sheet, squeeze out excess moisture really well by hand before you add it.

💡 And make sure it is completely melted. The mousse does not set enough later if you do not melt it completely at this point. Be sure to take a look closely and see if there are any pieces of gelatin left!

Add about half of the rest of the puree and mix. And pour it back into the bowl and mix well.

Step 4: Add lemon juice to the puree.

It might seem like a lot of lemon juice but this acid really helps to bring out even more strawberry flavor.

Step 5: Whip heavy cream.

Whip heavy cream until it gets very fluffy and stiff.

💬 It's hard to fix once you over-whip it. Stop the machine right before it's done and finish with the hand carefully.

Step 6: Whip egg white (Add sugar once it looks bubbly.)

Now we are making Italian meringue. In the mixing bowl, add egg white.

💡 Make sure no yolk, oils, or liquids are mixed in the egg whites so that it'll whip up really well to create fluffy Italian meringue.

Once it starts getting bubbly like shampoo, add sugar. and continue whipping until it gets very fluffy. Meanwhile, make the hot syrup.

Step 7: Make the hot syrup: 246 - 248 F | 119 - 120 C

Add granulated sugar and water to the pot. And heat them at medium heat.

👩🏻‍🍳 Make sure that all the sugar is wet completely before heating so that the sugar does not get crystalized while heating.

Brush the side with water at least one time or a couple of times while it's heating.

Cook up to 246 - 248 F | 119 - 120 C and immediately remove from the heat.

💡 I usually start heating my pot after adding sugar to the egg white since the amount of water and sugar is very small with one batch of the recipe and the syrup gets cooked up really fast. Adjust the timings with your pace so that the syrup reaches to the temperature right after the meringue gets fluffy.

Step 8: Add the hot syrup to the fluffy meringue.

The meringue should get whipped up really well and look very fluffy before you add syrup.

Slowly add syrup to the meringue from the side of your bowl while mixing at high speed.

💬 How you add the syrup is very important. By adding hot syrup slowly from the side, a whisk can pick it up easier to let them blend well. Watch the video tutorial to see the motion.

Continue whipping it at high speed while it's hot.
And once you feel it is slightly warm, lower the speed to medium-low speed and continue whipping until you don't feel the temperature when you touch them.

Step 9: Mix whipped cream and Italian meringue.

As soon as the meringue is done, take out your cold whipped cream from the fridge and start folding. Check if the whipped cream is not looser. Re-whip it if it is.

You do not need to blend them completely. Stop when they are mixed roughly.

💬 We want to avoid over-mixing so that the mousse gets as airy as possible. That is why we stop when they are roughly mixed.

Step 10: Mix strawberry puree to finish the mousse.

At this point, your puree should not be too cold or too warm: You shouldn't feel the temperature (or you feel slightly cold.) when you touch it.

💡 If the puree is too cold and getting hardened because of the gelatin, simply warm it up just a tiny bit with the microwave or simmering water.

4 steps to fold the puree:

First, add about ⅓ of strawberry puree and fold. You can also use a spatula instead. again, do not over-mix here at all so that you do not kill too many air bubbles in meringue to make a light and airy mousse.
Next, add half of the puree and mix the same way.
And add the rest of the puree and mix the same way.
Finally, clean the bowl with a spatula. Flip the bottom and fold until everything is evenly blended. Stop as soon as you don't see a stroke of strawberry puree.

Use it right away while the condition is the best.

And immediately pour in grasses, pans, or cake molds while the condition is the best.

Chill it in the fridge:

Cool it in the fridge for about a few hours or more depending on the size until it's set completely.

📌 How To Make Strawberry Sauce

Now let's make the strawberry sauce while you are waiting for the mousse to set completely! It is so easy:

Cut strawberries, puree them, and strain them (We already did that earlier.)
Weigh how much puree is left and pour that into the pot.
Add sugar and lemon juice.
Heat them up until it starts boiling gently.
Let it cool completely.

💬 It is still a sauce even if you do not heat it up but by heating it up, you can keep the freshness slightly longer and also it'll get thicker just slightly more.

Pour the sauce on top before serving or serve it with the mousse so that your guests can pour by themselves.

📌 Uses For Strawberry Mousse

Enjoy the strawberry mousse in many shapes and sizes:

In glass cups
- Enjoy it in cocktail glasses, shot glasses, or smaller cups like I used today. It is a perfect option for parties or when you want to finish assembling it very quickly.
As whole cakes
- You can create a mousse cake such as charlotte cake, mirror glaze entremets, petit cakes, and so on! Customize the look for your special event.
As plated desserts
- Pour it into a special silicone/stainless mold as a fancy-plated dessert. You can also pour it into a large pan/ring and slice it into smaller portions to share it with a lot of people.

📌 Frequently Asked Questions

About Mousse

Can I make a whole cake with it?

Yes, you can! Enjoy it in many shapes and sizes.

Can I freeze the mousse?

Yes, I like to freeze it sometimes to remove it from a specific mold easier.

What's the shelf-life?

In the refrigerator: Store for up to a few days but it is recommended to consume it within that day for the best taste.
In the freezer: Store in an airtight container for up to a few weeks. It is recommended to consume within 10 days.

What is fruit mousse?

It is often made with three components: fruits puree, gelatin, and whipped cream. We usually call it mousse when it's made of these 3.
And some people like myself like to add meringue to that. When I make fruit mousse, I always mix the 4: fruits puree, gelatine, whipped cream, and meringue.

About gelatin

Can I reduce the amount of gelatin even more?

You can reduce the amount of gelatin just a tiny bit but not too much! I only recommend it if you are just pouring in grasses like today and eating with a spoon. Not recommended for whole cakes!

What's "bloom" in gelatin?

"Bloom" is a strength of gelatin. When the bloom is higher, your moose gets firmer. And when the bloom is lower, your mousse gets softer. And the bloom ranges from 50 to 300 or 350 usually. Today, I used this gelatin sheets with 230 bloom.
So, that means the texture is going to be softer when you use gelatin with a much lower bloom even if you use the same amount as the recipe. A lot of us don't even get notified about this but it is a very important tip to keep in mind when you use gelatin.
Check the gelatin you have and compare it with the bloom I used today (230) and see if it's about the same or if it's overly different: You can guess if you need to use more gelatin or less gelatin. ...But I totally understand that it is difficult to guess it even if you see the amount of bloom in your package if this is your first time trying this recipe. And unfortunately, some of the packages do not even show the bloom.
So this is the advice that is so boring but... my advice to you is to try making it one time and decide if you should reduce or add more gelatin next time.

About the meringue

Is the meringue cooked enough for salmonella?

Italian meringue is made by adding really hot syrup but the temperature is not hot enough to kill salmonella or some other bacteria completely. To resolve the issue, I have two choices for you to pick from:
1. Use pasteurized egg white or pasteurized egg: They are already heated enough to kill salmonella or some other bacteria. You can find them at grocery stores (Many of the eggs in the states are pasteurized unless they are from the farms directly). But in case you cannot find them, I have a second option:
2. Use Swiss meringue instead of Italian meringue and heat it to 160 F | 71 C which is the temperature to kill salmonella. Compared to Italian meringue, Swiss meringue has less volume and is a little bit heavier. (The mousse is going to be slightly heavier but the difference is really minor.) You can use the same amount of egg white and sugar from this recipe without the water. To learn about all the tips to make Swiss meringue, check out my Swiss meringue buttercream recipe!

📌 VIDEO: Strawberry Mousse

To learn how to make strawberry mousse visually and have a deeper understanding of all, watch this video.

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💬 If you loved this recipe, please share your feedback on this post! I always love to hear how you enjoyed it at home with your friends and family.

📌 Printable Recipe

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