Nothing says summer quite like a strawberry-based dessert and this one, using local AVA berries, is just what’s needed to round off the weekend.
Whether you’re entertaining friends, indulging in a sweet treat for yourself, or even just looking to add some new recipes to your repertoire, this one is likely to become a favourite.
The combination of the strawberries, mousse and homemade honeycomb (you can do it!) will also get the tastebuds tingling and each part can be added to your other favourite desserts the next time you make them.
Why not pair with your favourite glass of white wine for ultimate indulgence? You can thank us later.
AVA™ Berries are extraordinary varieties that have been bred through Angus Soft Fruits Breeding Programme with flavour, yield and sustainability in mind.
White chocolate and AVA Scottish strawberries mousse
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
For the mousse:
- 100g white chocolate
- 1 leaf of gelatine
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 150ml double cream
For the sorbet:
- 350g AVA Scottish strawberries
- 60g caster sugar
- 50ml water
- ¼ of a lime, juiced
For the macerated strawberries:
- 100g AVA strawberries
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
For the honeycomb:
- 100g caster sugar
- 2½ tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
- Take the moulds you will be using for the mousse – use a small pudding basin and line with cling film. Alternatively you could line a cake tin and pour into this and cut slices when chilled.
- Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Chop four strawberries into very small pieces and set aside.
- Melt the chocolate on a bain-marie until melted. Whip the double cream to soft peaks. Separate the egg. Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the sugar, salt and egg yolk.
- Now squeeze the water out of the gelatine and add to the mixture – whisking quickly.
- Add the whipped cream and fold into mixture, trying to keep as much air as possible in it. Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and fold through the mixture.
- Fold the chopped strawberries through the mixture.
- Pour or spoon into the mould/s and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Put the mousse in the freezer for the last hour – makes it easier to get out of the mould. Just allow to sit for a little while to come back up to temperature before eating.
- For the sorbet: Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place the strawberries in a food processor or use a hand blender to blitz to a puree. Pass this through a sieve to remove pips. Add to syrup mixture and chill in the fridge.
- Churn in an ice cream maker or freeze (removing often to blitz in food processor and then adding back to freezer every hour or so until frozen).
- For the macerated strawberries: Slice the strawberries in to slices or quarters, depending on size and how you want the finished dish to look. Place in a bowl with sugar and leave to sit for half an hour until the juices have run a little, but not so that they have broken down too much.
- For the honeycomb: Grease a metal cake tin (10cm sq) or a loaf tin. Heat the sugar and syrup in a deep saucepan.
- Heat gently to begin with to ensure all of the sugar has melted (this might take 5 minutes). Now turn up the heat until you have achieved an amber caramel colour.
- Throw in the bicarbonate of soda and stir with a wooden spoon or metal whisk until incorporated – be careful as this will puff up and will be very hot!
- Pour into the greased tin and leave to cool for an hour or so – it should now be hard and should break into honeycomb pieces.
- To serve: Carefully remove the mousse from their moulds – arrange on plate. Arrange the macerated strawberries around them. Break up honeycomb into shards. Place a scoop of the sorbet on the plate.
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