Inspired by a visit to a lavender farm, this dessert is made with a floral lavender mousse and lemon curd and tastes like spring on a plate. The perfect way to kickstart the spring-summer season!
My husband recently went on a trip and happened to visit a lavender farm. And you know what he got for me? A bunch of hand-plucked lavender. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. Oh, he also got me some lavender honey. Who said romance is dead?!
So what would I, a dessert fanatic, do with these gifts? I would make a dessert, of course.
I have never made a dessert with lavender nor have I tasted a lavender-flavored dessert, which made this both an exciting and kinda scary feat. But I am no quitter!
Since I have never used lavender before, I wanted to make something I am very familiar with, so of course, I decided to make a mousse. But I also know that lavender on it’s own would most likely end up tasting like air freshener, so I went with the most popular lavender combination – lemon and lavender.
So here’s the dessert – lavender white chocolate mousse with a lemon curd center.
I also wanted to add a crunchy element, so I decided to use the lavender to create crispy sugar lavender shards. But honestly, these were more for the aesthetics. The crunch does really make the dessert better, though, but it’s still optional.
This was quite an experiment for me, but it turned out delicious! The lavender flavor in the mousse was nice and floral but not too strong (NO AIR FRESHENER VIBE!), and the tart lemon curd paired beautifully with the floral-ness.
The dessert also turned beautiful and looked and tasted like spring on a plate. It would be perfect for a spring or summer afternoon tea or lunch, absolutely show-stopper on the table.
Ready to make it? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Lavender & Lemon Mousse
Equipment
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Circular silicone mold or any bowl of your choice for setting the mousse
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 4 egg yolks
- 140 grams granulated white sugar
- 15 grams lemon zest
- 100 ml fresh lemon juice
- 90 grams unsalted butter softened
Lavender Mousse
- 6 grams gelatin powder
- 30 ml ice-cold water for blooming gelatin
- 200 grams white chocolate
- 70 ml liquid whipping cream
- 100 ml full-fat milk
- 10-15 grams fresh or dried lavender
- 225 grams liquid whipping cream for whipping
- Purple food color optional
Sugar Shard (optional)
- 150 grams granulated white sugar
- 100 grams corn syrup
- 50 grams water
- 10 grams fresh or dried lavender
Instructions
Lemon Curd
- Prepare a Double Boiler: Fill a saucepan halfway with water and let it come to a boil. Meanwhile, take a heat-proof bowl that fits at the top of the saucepan.
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice, into the bowl and give it a quick whisk.4 egg yolks, 140 grams granulated white sugar, 15 grams lemon zest, 100 ml fresh lemon juice
- Once the water in the saucepan has come to a boil, reduce the heat and bring the water to a simmer. Place the heat-proof bowl with the lemon curd mixture on top of the saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
- Start whisking the mixture immediately and continue whisking to stop the eggs from scrambling from the heat. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-8 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove the lemon curd from the heat, add the softened butter, and whisk until it’s melted and incorporated into the mixture.90 grams unsalted butter
- Cover the lemon curd with a cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour. Make sure that the cling film is touching the surface of the lemon curd to stop a film from forming on top of the curd. Give it a quick whisk before using it to smooth out any lumps.
Lavender Mousse
- Bloom the gelatin: pour ice-cold water into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over it. Immediately mix the water until the gelatin water is dissolved, then let it set in the fridge for 15 minutes.6 grams gelatin powder, 30 ml ice-cold water
- In a heat-proof bowl, add the chocolate. Add the milk, whipping cream, and lavender to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and let the mixture simmer on low for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down and let it sit for another 10-15 minutes to infuse the lavender flavor in the milk mixture.70 ml liquid whipping cream, 100 ml full-fat milk, 10-15 grams fresh or dried lavender, 200 grams white chocolate
- Reheat the mixture and pour it on the chocolate, let it sit for a minute until the chocolate melts, then whisk together until the chocolate is properly incorporated into the milk mixture.
- While the mixture is hot, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until the gelatin is fully melted and incorporated into the milk mixture. Set it aside until it cools down to room temperature.
- In a separate bowl, add the remaining liquid whipping cream and whip it with a hand or electric mixer until it reaches medium peaks. You can add a few drops of purple flavor while whisking the cream if you want to make the mousse purple.225 grams liquid whipping cream, Purple food color
- Once the chocolate mixture reaches room temperature, gradually pour it into the whipped cream while folding it gently with a silicon spatula. Do this gently so that the mixture remains light and fluffy.
- Pour the prepared mousse into a silicone mold or a bowl and let it chill for 6-8 hours until completely set.
Sugar Shard
- In a saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup and start cooking on medium heat. Mix gently until the mixture starts boiling, then stop mixing and cook until the sugar reaches 145 degrees Celsius.150 grams granulated white sugar, 100 grams corn syrup, 50 grams water
- Meanwhile, prepare a silicone mold, mat, or baking paper for pouring the sugar mixture. You can use silicone molds or cookie cutters to create a round shape. Place the lavender in the molds or cookie cutters, then pour the sugar mixture on top as soon as it reaches temperature. Make sure to oil your cookie cutters so that the shard comes out easily once set. Let it set for 30 minutes until completely set.10 grams fresh or dried lavender
- Once chilled, remove from the mold (if using), cut out a circle from the center, and fill it with lemon curd. Alternatively, top the mousse with lemon curd if using a bowl. Top with the sugar and lavender shard and enjoy.
Notes
- You can reduce or increase the amount of lavender based on your flavor preference.
- Make sure not to over-whip the cream at the first step. Whip it to medium peaks only as it has to mixed again with the chocolate mixture.
- Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream very gently so that you don’t knock the air out of the mousse.
- If using a silicone mold, I recommend freezing it over night so that it comes out easily. It will soften and be ready to eat within a few minutes of removal.
If you’re looking for something different, this dessert is definitely for you. It will be an absolute head-turner on your dessert table this spring/summer.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
