Valentines Day Strawberry Mousse (Printable)

Light sponge and strawberry mousse with a shiny glaze, perfect for romantic celebrations and gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
02 - 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Strawberry Mousse

07 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
11 - 2 tablespoons cold water
12 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

→ Strawberry Glaze

13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
14 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
17 - 1 tablespoon cold water

→ Decoration

18 - Fresh strawberries, halved
19 - White or dark chocolate shavings
20 - Edible rose petals

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume, approximately 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt; gently fold until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
02 - Purée 2 cups fresh strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Bloom 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin in 2 tablespoons cold water for 5 minutes. Warm one-third of the strawberry purée in a saucepan over low heat without boiling. Remove from heat and dissolve gelatin in the warm purée. Stir this mixture back into the remaining cold purée. Allow to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a clean bowl, whip 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled strawberry mixture until fully combined and no streaks remain.
04 - Remove the cooled sponge cake from the pan. Clean the springform ring thoroughly, place the cake base back inside, and pour the mousse evenly over the sponge layer. Smooth the top surface with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the mousse is completely set.
05 - Purée 1 cup fresh strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. Bloom 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water for 5 minutes. Heat a few tablespoons of the strawberry purée over low heat, then dissolve the bloomed gelatin in it. Stir this mixture back into the remaining purée. Allow to cool slightly, then gently pour over the set mousse layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour until the glaze is firm.
06 - Decorate the top with fresh strawberry halves, chocolate shavings, or edible rose petals as desired. Carefully release the cake from the springform pan using the side release mechanism and transfer to a serving plate. Slice and serve chilled.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The mousse is so light and airy it practically melts on your tongue, making it feel fancier than it actually is.
  • You can prepare it the day before, which means less stress and more time enjoying the moment with someone special.
  • Those strawberry layers give you bright, fresh flavor that feels romantic without being heavy or cloyingly sweet.
02 -
  • Gelatin is temperamental—if you don't bloom it first in cold water, it will clump instead of dissolving smoothly and you'll end up with a gritty mousse.
  • The cooling steps between each layer aren't just suggestions; rushing them means the mousse will sink into the cake or fail to set properly.
03 -
  • Make the sponge cake the day before you assemble the mousse—it's drier, holds up better to the mousse layer, and one less thing to worry about on the day you're serving.
  • Keep your whipping cream and bowl in the freezer for fifteen minutes before whipping so it reaches peaks faster and holds them longer.
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