Shelly's Recipe

LEMON MOUSSE CAKES

Category: Cakes

Cake:
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup + 2 tbsp simple syrup
1 pack unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 cup lemon curd
2 cups heavy cream
1 sponge cake
2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Lemon Curd:
3 lemons
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter, cold

Sponge Cake:
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 large eggs
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Line 6 (3 inch) metal pipe molds with parchment paper, having the parchment come 3 to 4 inches over the top of the mold (it should look like a mold for a frozen souffle). Chill the bowl and wire whip of an electric mixer in the freezer.

In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, 2 tbsp simple syrup and gelatin. Stir to soften the gelatin. Place over low heat and cook until the gelatin dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Remove the bowl and whip from the freezer and add the heavy cream. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Combine the gelatin mixture and lemon curd. Mix well. Add the lemon mixture to the whipped cream. Continue to beat until the cream forms stiff peaks. Brush the sponge cake with the remaining 1 cup of simple syrup.

Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut the cake into 6 rounds. Place a cake round at the bottom of each of the molds. Spoon 1 cup of the mousse into each prepared mold, on top of the cake. Cover the molds with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight until the mousse is firm. Remove the molds from the refrigerator and carefully remove the ring molds and parchment paper. Place the cakes on serving plates. Garnish with the whipped cream and mint.

LEMON CURD: Zest all of the lemons and set aside. Juice the zested lemons (should have1/2 cup of juice) and strain the juice. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks until smooth. Stir in the zest and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a nonreactive saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass bowl. Stir in the butter, 1 tbsp at a time. Cool to room temperature. Yield: 21/2 cups

SPONGE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 tsp of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half.

Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17 by 12 inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tbsp butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, and then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely. Yield: 1 (17 by 12 inch) sheet cake