Nothing says “Spring” like the scent of Meyer Lemons!  This combination of white chocolate mousse and lemon curd makes a beautiful and decadent dessert any time of year, but especially now when bunches of tulips greet one at the market and long stemmed branches of pussy willows aren’t far behind. I like keeping the layers intact for each guest by using small glasses for individual servings, but this can also be chilled and served from a large glass bowl, garnishing each dollop with mint leaves and berries. Our record breaking Nor’easter kept me from picking some up, but tastes just as nice without!  Since “Good Comes From Everything”, the positive spin I’m putting on 24″ of new snow (and 5-6′ drifts!)  is the calories I’ll burn shoveling it, earning my second serving of White Chocolate Mousse with Meyer Lemon Curd!

Back Door “Drift”

White Chocolate Mousse with Meyer Lemon Curd – makes 4-6 servings

Lemon Curd Ingredients:

2 extra large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

Zest of 1 organic Meyer Lemon (about 1 1/2 teaspoons firmly packed)

1/3 cup fresh squeezed organic Meyer Lemon juice (about 2 lemons – it’s OK to use standard organic lemons.)

1/4 cup (2 oz.) unsalted butter – cut into pieces

Directions:

1.  Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon zest in a small heavy sauce pan until light and frothy.

2.  Add the lemon juice and bits of butter, and cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly until the curd thickens.

3.  Whisking can be so vigorous that the lemon curd is quite smooth, but small lumps may form. If so, stir the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl.  Set aside to cool, but don’t refrigerate.

Mousse Ingredients:

6 ounces of fine white chocolate

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup (1.25 oz.) confectioners sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1.  Melt the chocolate in a small sauce pan over hot water (use a double boiler if on hand.)

2.  In a medium sized pan over simmering water whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined.  Add 1/4 cup heavy cream, and continue whisking until it begins to form a custard.

3.  Add the melted chocolate to the custard, stir to blend well.

4.  Put the pan with the chocolate mixture in it in a shallow bath of iced water; stir to cool.  You want the mixture cool enough to fold into whipped cream without “breaking it”, but not so cool that it’s too thick to do so.

5.  Whip the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream.

6.  Fold a large spoonful of the cream into the chocolate mixture; turn the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped cream and fold gently, but thoroughly.

7.  Layer the chocolate mousse and lemon curd in individual glasses or glass bowls (or a large glass bowl), starting and finishing with the mousse.  The mousse will pour easily. Take care to gently spoon the lemon curd layer over the mousse layer. Beginning at the sides, so it attaches to the edge of the glass, and working towards the center helps.

8.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.  Garnish with berries and mint leaves and/or curls of lemon peel.

Enjoy!

Whisking the sugar, eggs, and zest…

Action shot

Meyer Lemon Zest

Starting the lemon curd

… until light and foamy

Juicing lemons with beloved vintage Hamilton Beach

Bits o’ butter

Weighing the chocolate

Beginning the mousse

Whisking and heating over hot water

Melting the chocolate over hot water

Whisking the chocolate into the custard

Whipped cream

Cooling the chocolate/custard mix over iced water

Folding a little cream into the chocolate mixture

Pouring that into the whipped cream

Gently folding…

… and folding to blend

Layering the mousse

… and lemon curd

Ready to refrigerate

Good enough to eat!