This raspberry mousse is incredibly light and airy, like a cloud, with a burst of fresh raspberry flavor! It can hold its shape well despite the airy texture. The best raspberry mousse to create authentic raspberry desserts!
Jump to:
- 6 Reasons Why You'll Love This Raspberry Mousse
- 2 Secrets To The Light & Airy Mousse
- Ingredients To Make Raspberry Mousse
- 11 Steps To Make Amazing Raspberry Mousse
- Make raspberry sauce.
- How To Store It
- Uses For Raspberry Mousse
- 3 Tips for making a raspberry mousse cake
- FAQ
- VIDEO: Watch How To Make It!
- More Mousse Recipes
- Printable Recipe
- Light and Airy Raspberry Mousse
6 Reasons Why You'll Love This Raspberry Mousse
- The texture is very light and airy - it melts in your mouth!
- It can hold its shape well. You can create a whole mousse cake with it!
- The mousse is not overly sweet, made with just enough sugar to bring up the natural raspberry flavor.
- It's made from fresh raspberries: No artificial flavors or colorings! It's amazing to see fresh raspberries create such a beautiful pink color.
- It's an airy "healthier" dessert without butter and flour. (gluten-free!) You'll feel less guilty eating it even after a heavy meal.
- I'm also sharing a simple and delicious raspberry sauce to pair with the mousse. The fluffy mousse tastes even more exceptional with the melty sauce!
I've gotta say, this is not the easiest raspberry mousse recipe. But it is so worth the time and effort! I didn't want to omit any steps to make it taste truly exceptional. Try this recipe, and you may fall in love with it even if you are not the biggest mousse fan.
The elegant dessert is perfect for special occasions, such as Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, and dinner parties. It surely will be a big hit with your crowds.
Go through each section in this post to fully understand the steps and tips to make it successful at home!
Let's get started.💪🏻
2 Secrets To The Light & Airy Mousse
1. Less gelatin + Stiffer whipped cream
When using stiff and fluffy whipped cream like today, you will want slightly less gelatin to set your mousse. It creates a fluffier and less pudding-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 lighter and airier. And you'll also need less gelatin to harden the mousse. Some recipes do not add meringue to fresh fruit mousse, but I highly recommend adding it for a better texture.
Ingredients To Make Raspberry Mousse
Raspberry Mousse
- Raspberries (Pureed and strained): We are making raspberry purée from fresh raspberries. You can leave the raspberry seeds if you prefer. Discard them for a smoother texture.
- Unflavored gelatin: Use either gelatin powder or gelatin sheets. Today, I used Knox gelatin powder, which is Bloom 225. And this is my favorite gelatin sheet. (Bloom 230) You can use whichever you can get. (Bloom refers to the strength of gelatin. Read the FAQ section for more tips about it.)
- Lemon juice: It brightens the color more and enhances the tart raspberry flavor.
- Heavy cream: It helps to create a fluffy texture. You can also use heavy whipping cream.
- Egg white: We make Italian meringue with hot sugar syrup. Italian meringue is ideal for mousse for its fluffy & light texture and stability. Save the egg yolks to make other desserts, such as French buttercream, pastry cream, New York cheesecake, lemon curd, etc.
- Granulated sugar for egg whites: Sugar helps to stabilize egg whites. It's not a must, but it has a slight effect. Use white sugar, such as granulated sugar or caster sugar.
- Granulated sugar for hot syrup
- Water
Raspberry Sauce
You can omit this sauce when you only need to make the mousse. But try it if you have time - it only takes a few minutes!
- Raspberry (Pureed and strained): Puree it together with the fresh raspberries for mousse to save some time.
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
11 Steps To Make Amazing Raspberry Mousse
Bloom gelatin in cold water.
This hydration process is very important for the mousse to set properly.
When using gelatin powder
Add five times the amount of icy-cold water to gelatin powder and mix well to ensure that it's evenly hydrated. Set it aside for about 10 minutes. (Set it aside in the fridge if your room is not cooling.)
When using gelatin sheets
Soak them in icy water and wait for about 10 minutes. Squeeze them and remove the excess water before use.
Puree raspberries and strain them.
Puree it well with a hand blender or food processor until smooth. Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to discard the seeds.
Aya's Quick Tip💡
Puree fresh raspberries for the raspberry sauce at the same time to save some time. Set it aside in a saucepan for later use.
Heat ¼ of the raspberry puree and melt the hydrated gelatin in it. Combine it with the rest of the puree.
Take about a quarter to one-third of the whole raspberry puree and heat it in a small bowl until very warm or almost hot. (122 - 140ºF or 50 - 60ºC). Add the hydrated gelatin and mix until it has completely melted. Cut the gelatin into smaller pieces with a spatula so that it melts more easily. Once melted, pour some of the cold raspberry puree into the warm puree and mix. Pour the mixture back into the remaining cold raspberry puree and mix well.
Aya's Quick Tips💡
- Avoid heating the raspberry puree until it's boiling hot, since it can weaken the strength of the gelatin.
- Ensure the puree is hot enough to melt the gelatin completely. Check carefully to ensure that all the gelatin has melted in the puree, so the mousse sets properly. When you see that some pieces are left, heat them slightly again and mix.
Add lemon juice.
Add lemon juice to the puree and mix. Set it aside at room temperature.
Whip heavy cream.
Whip cream until it gets very stiff and fluffy. Set it aside in the fridge until right before using it.
Aya's Quick Tip💡
Whipped cream often becomes looser as it sits in the fridge. Check the consistency right before use and re-whip as needed.
Whip egg whites and sugar.
Whip egg whites. Add sugar once it looks bubbly, like shampoo, and continue whipping until fluffy.
Aya's Quick Tips💡
- We want a very fluffy meringue by the time the hot sugar syrup is ready. Adjust the timing so that the meringue won't be too loose or separated (over-mixed) by the time the syrup is ready.
- Ensure that all the tools and ingredients are dry without oil, liquids, or any residue. They prevent the egg whites from whipping well, resulting in a loose meringue. Egg yolks contain oil, so separate them carefully!
Heat sugar and water on medium heat.
Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Ensure the sugar is completely wet. Heat the pan on medium heat. Brush the sides of a pot with water a few times while heating to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Once it reaches 244-246°F (118-119°C) (I heated it to 246°F this time), remove it from the heat and use it immediately.
Aya's Quick Tips💡
- Do not mix syrup or shake the pot until the syrup starts thickening to prevent sugar from crystallizing.
- Swirl the pod toward the end to make the temperature even and get an accurate temperature.
Add the hot syrup to the meringue.
Add the hot sugar syrup to the meringue slowly from the side of your bowl while mixing it at high speed. Continue whipping at high speed. Lower the speed to medium-low speed once the bowl or meringue feels slightly warm. Stop whipping when it doesn't feel anything. (Not warm or cold.) Use it immediately.
Aya's Quick Tips💡
- The meringue should be very fluffy before you add hot syrup. The loose meringue leads to loose raspberry mousse.
- Adding the hot syrup slowly from the sides is important, so that the whisk can easily pick it up. Check the video tutorial to see it visually.
Combine whipped cream and Italian meringue.
Add all the meringue to the whipped cream and fold until about half of the meringue is incorporated. We do not want to over-mix it to make a very airy mousse!
Add the raspberry puree and fold.
Add half of the raspberry puree and fold with a whisk until about 50% is incorporated. Add the rest of the puree and fold until 80 - 90 % is blended.
Aya's Quick Tips💡
- Use gently cold puree left at room temperature to make a fluffy mousse that is pipeable. Whipped cream and meringue lose their volume when combined with warm puree, resulting in a loose mousse.
- If the puree starts thickening already because of the gelatin inside, heat it slightly again to loosen it.
- Whipped cream and Italian meringue are pretty stiff, and the puree is liquid. With the whisk, you can combine them faster and eliminate lumps of whipped cream and meringue much more easily. Watch the video tutorial to see how to fold it with a whisk.
Switch to a spatula, clean the bottom and sides of the bowl, and fold until everything is evenly incorporated.
Pipe the mousse and chill it in the fridge.
Pipe it into glasses or cups immediately using a piping bag, or scoop it with a spoon. Chill it in the fridge for at least a few hours, or until it's completely set. Once cooled, decorate it with your favorite garnishes, such as whipped cream, berries, and mint.
Extra Tip
I laid some genoise sponge cake on glasses and drizzled some of the raspberry sauce on top of it before piping the mousse on top (I'm sharing how to make it in the next section). The sponge cake is fluffy and goes perfectly well with this light raspberry mousse.
Make raspberry sauce.
Heat the raspberry puree, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan until it starts boiling. Cool it in the fridge.
...And that's it!
Pour the raspberry sauce right before eating. And enjoy!! The raspberry sauce adds another layer of raspberry taste and a beautiful look.
How To Store It
Cover the surface with plastic wrap and put it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to a few days or in the freezer for up to a few weeks.
I recommend consuming it within 24 hours for the best taste.
Uses For Raspberry Mousse
Enjoy the raspberry mousse in many shapes and sizes, such as:
- Raspberry mousse cups: Divide it into small glasses or cups. There is no need to slice and divide the mousse later with them. It makes the process much easier!
- Raspberry mousse cake: You can create a mousse cake such as Charlotte cake, mirror glaze entremets, and mini cakes. Customize the look for your special event.
- Raspberry mousse pie or tart: Make a fancy dessert with a tart crust or pie crust. I recommend spreading ganache or curd over the crust before assembling the mousse to prevent the crust from getting soggy over time.
- Plated desserts: Pour it into a silicone or stainless mold to create an elegant petit dessert.
I made this raspberry mousse cake for Rei's 6th birthday using my ladyfingers recipe.
3 Tips for making a raspberry mousse cake
Tip 1:
Cover the sides of the cake ring with the mousse before pouring it into the ring. This prevents large gaps and holes on the sides after taking out the cake ring.
Tip 2:
This mousse sets after a few hours, but it gets slightly firmer and more stable after longer hours. You may want to make it ahead and chill it overnight to make it a little firmer.
I also recommend freezing it in many cases because you can remove the cake from a cake ring or cake film with a much smoother surface. The difference is big, as shown in the comparison below. Always freeze the cake when using silicone molds. (Otherwise, the mousse will easily break!)
While the mousse is not frozen:
While the mousse is frozen:
Warm the sides with a kitchen torch to take off the ring.
Tip 3:
The mousse could get looser when using looser whipped cream and meringue, gelatin with much less bloom, etc. Follow all the tips in this post to avoid it, or you may want to increase the amount of gelatin slightly if you feel very worried about it.
FAQ
What's "bloom" in gelatin?
"Bloom" refers to the strength of gelatin. When the bloom is higher, the moose gets firmer. And when the bloom is lower, the mousse gets softer. The bloom often ranges from 50 to 300 or 350. For this recipe, I used gelatin powder from Knox with Bloom 225 or PerfectaGel gelatin sheets with Bloom 230. If you have your favorite gelatin, check if the bloom is listed on the package. If it doesn't, see if their website mentions it. (They always should!) If you can't find it anywhere, I suggest making the mousse once and then adjusting the amount of gelatin next time.
Is the meringue cooked enough to kill salmonella?
Italian meringue is made by adding hot syrup, but the temperature is not hot enough to kill salmonella in case it's there. To resolve the issue, I have two choices for you to pick from:
- Use pasteurized eggs: They are already heated enough to kill salmonella or other bacteria. You can always find them at grocery stores (Many of the eggs in the United States are pasteurized unless they are from the farms directly). But if you cannot find them, I have a second option.
- Use Swiss meringue instead of Italian meringue and heat it to 160ºF (71ºC), which is the temperature to kill salmonella. Compared to Italian meringue, Swiss meringue has less volume and is slightly denser. (The mousse gets slightly denser, although the difference is minor.) You can use the same amount of egg white and sugar from this recipe without the water.
VIDEO: Watch How To Make It!
Watch this video to learn how to make the fresh raspberry mousse visually and have a deeper understanding of each step.
Don't forget to subscribe if you liked it😉
More Mousse Recipes
If you liked this raspberry mousse, also try other scrumptious mousse recipes!
Printable Recipe
💬 Did you try this recipe? I'd like to hear your feedback! I also love hearing how you enjoyed it for your special occasion. If you have a question, leave it in the comment section below, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Light and Airy Raspberry Mousse
Equipment
- Hand blender or food processor, juicer, etc.
- Sieve
- Bowl
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand blender and a bowl
- Small saucepan
- Pastry brush
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Piping bag optional
Ingredients
Raspberry Mousse
- 7.7 g (1 envelope of Knox gelatin powder (bloom: 225)) Unflavored gelatin or 4.5 sheets of platinum gelatin sheets (bloom: 230).
- 40 g (2 ⅔ Tablespoons) Icy cold water for gelatin powder When you use gelatin sheets: Soak them in plenty of icy water.
- 270 g (1 ⅙ cups) Raspberry puree, strained Use about 330g of raspberries to get that amount.
- 15 g (1 Tablespoon) Lemon juice
- 320 g (1 ⅓ cups) Heavy cream
- 90 g (From 3 small eggs) Egg white
- 13 g (1 Tablespoon) Granulated sugar for egg white
- 130 g (⅔ cup) Granulated sugar for hot syrup
- 60 g (4 Tablespoons) Water
Raspberry Sauce (optional)
- 170 g (¾ cup) Raspberry puree, strained Use about 210 g of raspberries to get that amount.
- 17 g (4 teaspoons) Granulated sugar
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Lemon juice
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
- Bloom gelatin in cold water:When using gelatin powder: Add five times the amount of icy-cold water to gelatin powder and mix well to ensure that it's evenly hydrated. Set it aside for about 10 minutes. (Set it aside in the fridge if your room is not cooling.)When using gelatin sheets: Soak them in icy water and wait for about 10 minutes. Squeeze them and remove the excess water before use..7.7 g Unflavored gelatin, 40 g Icy cold water for gelatin powder
- Puree raspberries and strain them - Puree them well with a hand blender or food processor until smooth. Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to discard the seeds.TIP: Puree fresh raspberries for the raspberry sauce at the same time to save some time. Set it aside in a saucepan for later use.270 g Raspberry puree, strained
- Heat ¼ of the raspberry puree and melt the hydrated gelatin in it. Combine it with the rest of the puree - Take about a quarter to one-third of the whole raspberry puree and heat it in a small bowl until very warm or almost hot. (122 - 140ºF or 50 - 60ºC). Add the hydrated gelatin and mix until it has completely melted. Cut the gelatin into smaller pieces with a spatula so that it melts more easily. Once melted, pour some of the cold raspberry puree into the warm puree and mix. Pour the mixture back into the remaining cold raspberry puree and mix well.TIPS: Avoid heating the raspberry puree until it's boiling hot, since it can weaken the strength of the gelatin. Ensure the puree is hot enough to melt the gelatin completely. Check carefully to ensure that all the gelatin has melted in the puree, so the mousse sets properly. When you see that some pieces are left, heat them slightly again and mix.
- Add lemon juice - Add lemon juice to the puree and mix. Set it aside at room temperature.15 g Lemon juice
- Whip heavy cream - Whip cream until it gets very stiff and fluffy. Set it aside in the fridge until right before using it. TIP: Whipped cream often becomes looser as it sits in the fridge. Check the consistency right before use and re-whip as needed.320 g Heavy cream
- Whip egg whites and sugar - Whip egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add sugar once it looks bubbly, like shampoo, and continue whipping until fluffy.TIPS: Ensure that all the tools and ingredients are dry without oil, liquids, or any residue. They prevent the egg whites from whipping well, resulting in a loose meringue. Egg yolks contain oil, so separate them carefully! We want a very fluffy meringue by the time the hot sugar syrup is ready. Adjust the timing so that the meringue won't be too loose or separated (over-mixed) by the time the syrup is ready.90 g Egg white, 13 g Granulated sugar
- Heat sugar and water on medium heat - Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Ensure the sugar is completely wet. Heat the pan on medium heat. Brush the sides of a pot with water a few times while heating to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Once it reaches 244-246°F (118-119°C) (I heated it to 246°F this time), remove it from the heat and use it immediately.TIPS: Do not mix syrup or shake the pot until the syrup starts thickening to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Swirl the pod toward the end to make the temperature even and get an accurate temperature.130 g Granulated sugar, 60 g Water
- Add the hot sugar syrup to the meringue - Add the hot sugar syrup to the meringue slowly from the side of your bowl while mixing it at high speed. Continue whipping at high speed. Lower the speed to medium-low speed once the bowl or meringue feels slightly warm. Stop whipping when it doesn't feel anything. (Not warm or cold.) Use it immediately.TIPS - The meringue should be very fluffy before you add hot syrup. The loose meringue leads to loose raspberry mousse. Adding the hot syrup slowly from the sides is important, so that the whisk can easily pick it up. Check the video tutorial to see it visually.
- Combine whipped cream and Italian meringue - Add all the meringue to the whipped cream and fold until about half of the meringue is incorporated. We do not want to over-mix it to make a very airy mousse!
- Add the raspberry puree and fold - Add half of the raspberry puree and fold with a whisk until about 50% is incorporated. Add the rest of the puree and fold until 80 - 90 % is blended. Switch to a spatula, clean the bottom and sides of the bowl, and fold until everything is evenly incorporated.TIPS: Use gently cold puree left at room temperature to make a fluffy mousse that is pipeable. Whipped cream and meringue lose their volume when combined with warm puree, resulting in a loose mousse. If the puree starts thickening already because of the gelatin inside, heat it slightly again to loosen it. Whipped cream and Italian meringue are pretty stiff, and the puree is liquid. With the whisk, you can combine them faster and eliminate lumps of whipped cream and meringue much more easily. Watch the video tutorial to see how to fold it with a whisk.
- Pipe the mousse and chill it in the fridge - Pipe it into glasses or cups immediately using a piping bag, or scoop it with a spoon. Chill it in the fridge for at least a few hours, or until it's completely set. Once cooled, decorate it with your favorite garnishes, such as whipped cream, berries, and mint.
- Make the raspberry sauce: (optional) - Heat the raspberry puree, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan until it starts boiling. Cool it in the fridge. Pour it on top of the mousse right before eating!170 g Raspberry puree, strained, 17 g Granulated sugar, 5 g Lemon juice
Video
Kim says
This is the most poorly written recipe I have ever come across. My bad for not reading it before I bought the ingredients and trying to make it. No Christmas dessert now
ayacaliva says
I'm sorry that happened. If you don't mind, would you share with me which part was confusing in the recipe? I would like to know to improve it.
Liyah says
How stable would you say this mixture is to pipe out a design before letting it set? Will it hold it's shape if I want to use something like a saint honore piping tip?
ayacaliva says
It should be stiff enough to pipe on glasses when made successfully, but not as stiff as a sharp decoration like that. I recommend using Swiss/Italian meringue, buttercream or whipped cream for that!
Stephany Brisco says
Wow, I will be making this for Easter and letting you know how it goes. Thank you for taking such care in showing and explaining everything.
ayacaliva says
Thank you, I hope it'll be a success!!
Autumn says
I just made this recipe with my homegrown raspberries. This is the best berry mousse I've ever had.
The recipe was great to follow, I appreciated your tips with each step. Thanks for sharing!
ayacaliva says
I love that you used homegrown raspberries! I wish I had them at home😊 I'm happy to hear, thank you for letting me know!