Lemon Curd Mousse (Vegan)
A light and airy, sweet yet tart, lemon mousse layered with homemade lemon curd. These little cuties are egg-free, dairy-free, and full of lemon flavor.
Spring is calling, and so are these lemony treats. These little desserts are light, airy, citrusy, and super easy to bring together. A lovely tart lemon curd is folded into whipped cream, layered with lemon curd, and topped with sweet cream. This is a wonderful dessert for any spring gathering.
What you will need:
This recipe could not be easier. Prepare some lemon curd, whip up some heavy cream, fold them together and layer in individual serving containers. I recommend having 3 to 4 medium size lemons on hand.
- lemon juice and zest
- cornstarch
- plant based milk
- plant based butter with salt
- cane sugar
- plant based heavy cream
- cream of tartar
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
How to:
Begin by preparing the lemon curd. In a medium pot, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, plant-based milk, cane sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk the ingredients together to fully combine and set over medium to medium-low heat. As the mixture heats up, it will become thicker and turn a brighter yellow. Keep a close eye on it once it starts bubbling; make sure to stir it occasionally. Once the mixture reaches a stage where it clings to a spoon and is thick yet pourable, remove the pot from the heat and add the butter to the mixture. Whisk until the butter is fully incorporated. Pour the curd into a heat-safe container and allow it to cool. If making ahead of time, once cool, cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator. If using it on the same day, set it aside until you are ready to use it.
The plant-based heavy cream can be whipped once the curd is fully cooled (we don’t want to add warm curd to the whipped cream!) Pour 3/4 cup heavy cream and 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip the mixture for two to three minutes at high speed using a balloon attachment. Quit whipping as soon as stiff peaks are reached.
The lemon curd needs to be divided into two parts: one portion will be used for layering in the serving containers and the other portion will be folded into the whipped cream. Two tablespoons of curd will be needed for each serving container (to be layered in between two layers of mousse), so a total of 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) should be set aside. The rest of the curd will be folded into the whipped cream. When folding the curd into the whipped cream, make sure not to deflate the whipped cream; be gentle yet quick.
To assemble the four serving containers, fill a pipping bag fitted with the tip of your choice with half of the mousse. Pipe the first layer of mousse into the bottoms of the container, making sure to pipe equal amounts into each container. Next, add two tablespoons of curd to each container (to the top of the first layer of mousse). Spread the curd layer out if needed so it completely covers the mousse layer. Fill the piping bag with the other half of the mousse and pipe it over the curd layer, making sure to cover the curd layer completely. Lastly, prepare a little sweet whipped cream to top off the mousse. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add plant-based heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract. Whip on high with a balloon whisk attachment for 2 to 3 minutes. Dollop the sweet whipped cream on top of each mousse and sprinkle with a little zest. Store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. If kept in an airtight container, the mousse will be fine for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
So, let’s get started. Please make and enjoy!
Lemon Curd Mousse (Vegan)
Ingredients
Mousse
- 6 tbsp / 90 grams plant based milk
- ⅔ cup / 125 grams cane sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 3 tbsp / 42 grams plant based butter with salt
- 3/4 cup plant based heavy cream
- 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
Sweet whipped topping
- 1/4 cup plant based heavy cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin by zesting and juicing the lemons and setting the juice and zest aside.In a medium pot add the cane sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch and plant based milk; whisk to fully combine and set over medium to medium low heat stirring occasionally. As the mixture heats up it will become thicker and a bright yellow. Once the mixture reaches a stage where it clings to a spoon; thick yet pourable ( usually takes about ten minutes); remove the pot from the heat and add the butter to the mixture. Whisk until the butter is fully incorporated. Set the curd aside to completely cool. If you are making it ahead of time, once it has cooled down, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to use it.
- Once the lemon curd is completely cool, the plant based heavy cream can be whipped. To the bowl of a stand mixer add the 3/4 cup heavy cream and the 3/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar. With a balloon whisk attachment, whip on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff peaks are achieved. The lemon curd needs to be divided into two parts; a portion will be used for layering in the serving containers and a portion will be folded into the whipped cream. Two tablespoons of curd will be needed for each serving container (to be layered in between two layers of mousse), so a total of 8 tablespoons ( 1/2 cup) should be set aside. Once the 1/2 cup is set aside, the rest of the curd can be added to the whipped cream and gently folded in. Try not to deflate the whipped cream during this process.
- To assemble the desserts, fill a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice with half of the mousse. Divide this portion of the mousse equally among the 4 serving containers by piping it into the bottoms of the containers. Next, place 2 tablespoons of lemon curd to the top of the mousse in each container, making sure to spread it out evenly and covering the mousse layer. Re-fill the piping bag with the rest of the mousse and divide it equally among the containers piping over the top of the lemon curd.
- To make the sweet whipped topping add the 1/4 cup plant based heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the powdered sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Whip on high with a balloon whisk attachment for 3 to 5 minutes. Dollop some of the sweet whipped cream to the top of each container. If you have any zest left over, a little can be sprinkled over the top of each dessert for a final look. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days stored in an airtight container.
