Rhubarb Mousse with Strawberry-Gin Sauce
Submitted by Corrie
Rhubarb mousse with strawberry-gin sauce is a light, creamy spring dessert set with gelatin and folded with whipped cream and meringue. The tart rhubarb base pairs with a boozy strawberry-marmalade sauce.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
2 hrsTart rhubarb and juniper-forward gin make a surprisingly elegant pair in this airy mousse. The rhubarb gets macerated in brown sugar, simmered until thick, then pureed smooth. Gelatin softened in gin holds it all together while whipped cream and stiff egg whites give it that cloud-like lift.
The ice-water bath step is where most people rush. Cool the rhubarb-gelatin mixture until it’s cold to the touch but still pourable. If the gelatin starts to set before you fold in the cream and egg whites, the mousse turns lumpy instead of silky.
The strawberry sauce is worth the extra step. Pureed berries strained smooth, then combined with melted marmalade and more gin. It’s bright and boozy, and the citrus from the marmalade bridges the gap between the tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t skip the hour-long brown sugar maceration. It draws moisture out of the rhubarb so it cooks down thick and concentrated rather than watery.
- Fold the egg whites in gently with a rubber spatula. Aggressive stirring deflates the meringue and you lose the mousse’s lightness.
- Chill at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. The flavors meld and the texture firms up beautifully.
Variations
- Use vodka instead of gin for a more neutral spirit that lets the rhubarb shine.
- Replace the strawberry sauce with a simple raspberry coulis for a deeper berry contrast.
- Serve in individual glasses layered with crumbled shortbread for texture.
Ingredients
Directions
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the rhubarb and let sit for an hour.
Put in a saucepan, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes or so, until fully tender and quite thick.
Purée in a processor.
Soften the gelatin in the gin for 10 minutes.
Combine with the rhubarb and heat to dissolve the gelatin.
Set into an ice-water bath (a large bowl filled halfway with ice and a couple of cups of water.)
Cool until cold to the touch, but do not allow the gelatin to set.
With an electric mixer, combine the cream and rhubarb mixture.
Whip until fluffy and light.
Do not overwhip or the cream will break down.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar and continue until stiff peaks have formed.
Carefully fold the egg whites into the rhubarb and cream mixture.
Turn the mousse into a clear glass, 6-cup, straight-sided souffle dish or into individual 1-cup souffle dishes and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.
To make the Strawberry Gin Sauce, purée the strawberries and sugar together in a processor.
Strain through a sieve and reserve.
Warm the marmalade just to melt.
Combine the marmalade, the gin, and the puréed strawberries, mixing well.
Chill thoroughly.
Serve each portion of mousse topped or surrounded with sauce; pass the sauce separately.
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