Lemon Cheesecake Mousse

Soft, light and delicious, this lemon mousse is the ultimate
spring summer dessert. Made with a graham cracker base and a smooth,
silky and luscious whipped cheesecake topping, it’s pretty hard to
resist!

Ingredients
 
Crust

• 3/4 cup crushed graham crackers (6 full sheets)
• 2 Tbsp (26g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp (42g) salted butter, melted

Mousse

• 2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp water
• 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (110g) powdered sugar, divided
• Yellow food coloring (optional)
• 12 oz (340g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 (10 oz) jar lemon curd (tested with Dickenson’s)
• Sweetened whipped cream , lemon wedges, blueberries and mint for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In
   a mixing bowl whisk together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour in
   butter and stir until evenly moistened. Divide mixture among 8 – 10
   dessert cups and lightly press into an even layer, set aside.
2. Pour
   lemon juice and water into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over
   top, let rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whip heavy cream in a medium mixing
   bowl until soft peaks form.
3. Add in 1/3 cup of the powdered
   sugar, tint with yellow food coloring if desired and whip until stiff
   (but not lumpy) peaks form (shake cream from beaters, no need to clean).
4. In a separate large mixing bowl whip cream cheese until smooth
   and fluffy. Mix lemon curd and remaining 2/3 cup powdered sugar into
   cream cheese mixture.
5. Heat rested gelatin mixture in the
   microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Whisk for 1 minute to thoroughly
   dissolve gelatin, then let cool 3 minutes (no longer or it may start to
   set then you could end up with little lumps in the mousse).
6. While mixing cream cheese mixture with hand mixer, slowly pour in gelatin mixture then blend until thoroughly combined.
7. Gently
   fold 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture to
   lighten, then add remaining whipped cream and gently fold until
   combined.
8. Spoon or pipe mixture into dessert cups over graham
   cracker layer. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours (or up to 1 day ahead if
   desired) to set. Garnish as desired. Serve cold.

Recipe Notes

• Calories based on 10 servings.
• The
  gelatin mixture shouldn’t be allowed to cool more than 3 minutes,
  otherwise it may start to set. Then you could end up with little lumps
  in the mousse.
• For the freshest, brightest flavor, use freshly squeezed lemon juice and not the stuff in the bottle.
• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, otherwise it won’t whip up properly.