Lemon Mousse Cake

Yields 1, 9-inch cake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups shortbread cookies

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Curd: (or use store-bought)

• 2 1/4 cups sugar

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed

• 4 large eggs

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1 tablespoon corn-starch

Mousse:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 5 large egg whites

• 1/3-1/2 cup water

• 4 teaspoon unflavoured gelatine

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and lightly grease an 8-9-inch springform pan with butter or non-stick spray.

2. Pulse shortbread cookies in food processor while drizzling in melted butter (or mix them together in a large bowl) until mixture has consistency of coarse, damp sand.

3. Turn crust mixture out into pie pan and press down firmly and evenly with your fingers. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.

4. In a large saucepan, stir together sugar and corn-starch and cook over medium-low heat. Gradually add lemon juice, stirring until corn-starch and sugar are completely dissolved.

5. Whisk vigorously and beat in eggs and egg yolks. Make sure heat isn’t too high that eggs scramble.

6. Add in butter and raise heat to medium. Cook, continuing to stir, until mixture thickens and boils. 10-11 minutes.

7. Transfer to a separate bowl and chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight. Once cold, cover (pressing down onto the curd) with plastic wrap.

8. Prepare mousse by pouring water into a small saucepan and evenly sprinkling gelatine over the top. Let gelatine “bloom” for 5-10 minutes, or until surface of water is wrinkly and gelatine has softened.

9. Remove curd from fridge and transfer 1 cup curd to a small saucepan and another 3/4 cup to a separate bowl to set aside. Heat over medium-low until warmed through.

10. Once gelatine mixture is ready, stir until mixture is clear and gelatine is dissolved.

Note: if you dip your finger in mixture, there should be no grainy texture. Don’t let gelatine boil.

11. Slowly whisk gelatine into your warmed 1 cup curd, then transfer gelatine curd into the remaining bowl of lemon curd and fold in.

12. In a separate bowl or mixer, beat egg whites until firm peaks form and slowly add in sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.

13. In batches, fold egg whites into gelatine curd mixture. Then beat whipping cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Again, gradually fold whipped cream into curd mixture.

14. Using a rubber spatula, spread mousse over cooled crust and smooth out the top. (Refrigerate remaining mousse if there’s extra.) Cover cake and refrigerate 6-8 hours, or overnight.

15. When ready to serve, take remaining 3/4 cup lemon curd and spread it out smoothly over the top of mousse.

16. Run a knife along the edge of the springform pan to loosen the edges, slice into wedges and enjoy!

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