Lemon Raspberry Mousse With Pistachio Ginger Shortbread Food

LEMON & GINGER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and grease a 22cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin. Put the butter in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until soft. Beat in the sugar, then stir in the lemon zest and ginger.
• Stir in the flour and work with your hands to form a soft dough. Tip into the tin and press into an even, flat layer with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork and bake in the oven for 40 mins until pale gold. Cut into wedges then leave to cool completely in the tin. Remove from the tin and dust with caster sugar to serve.

LEMON-GINGER MOUSSE AND PISTACHIO TUILES

Steps:

• Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger in a medium, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until smooth, about 4 minutes. Raise heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 7 to 9 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Using a whisk, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold whipped cream into lemon mixture. Cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days). Spoon into bowls, and serve with tuiles.

LEMON-RASPBERRY MOUSSE

Steps:

• Drain raspberries well and reserve syrup, if desired, for another use. Press berries through fine sieve to extract seeds. You should have 1/3 cup of raspberry puree. Stir in confectioners sugar, and set aside.
• Lightly beat egg yolks in top of double boiler or small, heavy saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and cook, stirring constantly, over simmering water or low heat, until thick. Do not let mixture boil.
• Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water in separate small saucepan, and dissolve over low heat, stirring. Add the dissolved gelatin and lemon rind to lemon custard and cool mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep gelatin well blended with the custard.
• Beat room temperature egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Continue beating as you add 3/4 cup sugar.
• Whip cream in large mixing bowl with remaining tablespoon of sugar until stiff (but not too stiff). Fold in first the custard mixture, then the beaten egg whites. Do not overmix.
• Turn half of the mousse into a glass serving bowl. Drizzle with half of the raspberry puree. Add the rest of the mousse and drizzle remaining puree over top. Holding a table knife vertically, swirl raspberry puree through mousse with a couple of figure-eight turns. Again, do not overmix; raspberry puree should remain in streaks. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm. Can hold for 1-2 days.

LEMON & RASPBERRY MOUSSE WITH PISTACHIO & GINGER SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. For the shortbread, butter a 20cm shallow cake or tart tin. Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and well-combined, then fold in both gingers, the pistachios and a pinch of salt. Sift in the flour and knead to a soft dough in the bowl. Tip into the tin and press the mixture into the base in an even layer.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until pale golden and dry-looking. Cut the shortbread into slices or wedges while hot, then leave to cool in the tin - it will firm up as it cools. Sprinkle with the ½ tbsp caster sugar.
• To make the mousse, whip the double cream, lemon zest, lemon curd and yogurt in a bowl with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Spoon into small serving glasses or ramekins and chill.
• Mash half the raspberries with the icing sugar using a fork, or purée in a small blender along with any defrosting juices to make a coulis. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
• To serve, spoon the coulis over the mousses, garnish with the remaining raspberries and serve with the shortbread wedges alongside.

LEMON MOUSSE

Steps:

• Put two-thirds of the lemon curd into a large bowl with the zest and cream, then beat with an electric whisk until it just holds its shape. Dribble over the rest of the lemon curd and divide between 6 small glass pots or glasses, marbling the curd through as you go. Sit the pots on a small tray, cover the whole lot with cling film and freeze for 30-40 minutes.
• Put the biscuits in a strong plastic bag and bash with the end of a rolling pin to crumbs. When you're ready for pudding, remove the pots from the freezer (they should be ice cold but still soft and creamy), top with crumbs and serve.

LEMON MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and yolks in heavy non-aluminum saucepan until foamy.
• Whisk in 1 1/2 cups sugar, then lemon juice; mix in peel.
• Stir over low heat until mixture thickens to consistancy of heavy custard, about 10 minutes; do not boil.
• Remove from heat and whisk in butter.
• Transfer mixture to bowl and cool until very thick, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes.
• Whip cream in medium bowl to soft peaks.
• Fold cream into lemon mixture just until combined.
• Spoon mousse into individual serving glasses.
• Cover and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
• (Can be prepared one day ahead.).
• Coarsely mash berries in small bowl using fork.
• Mix in 2 tablespoons sugar;taste, adding more sugar if desired.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to release juices.
• (Can be prepared one day ahead.).
• Spoon sauce over centers of mousse, garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

LEMON-GINGER CAKE WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• For lemon curd:
• Whisk eggs and yolks in large bowl. Combine lemon juice, butter, and sugar in medium metal bowl. Set over saucepan of simmering water; stir until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk hot lemon mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to bowl set over water; whisk constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer registers 180°F, about 5 minutes. Pour curd through fine strainer set over bowl; stir in lemon peel.
• Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd. Refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment rounds. Sift first five ingredients into large bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Add butter, milk, and lemon peel and beat on medium-high speed until thick batter forms, about 2 minutes. Add 4 egg whites; beat until smooth. Add remaining 4 egg whites; beat until well blended and smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans (about generous 4 1/2 cups for each); smooth tops with offset spatula.
• Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into centers come out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; remove parchment and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.)
• Cut domed tops from both cakes, making each cake 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 inches high. Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 3 cake layers on separate cardboard rounds or plates (reserve fourth cake layer for another use). Spread 1/3 cup preserves over top of each of 3 cake layers.
• Transfer 1 cup curd to large bowl; reserve for mousse. Divide remaining curd among layers (generous 3/4 cup for each); spread evenly over preserves to edge of layers. Refrigerate layers separately while preparing mousse (do not stack cake layers).
• For mousse:
• Pour 1/4 cup water into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Place saucepan over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes (mixture will be lukewarm). Stir gelatin into reserved 1 cup lemon curd.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into curd mixture in 2 additions; set aside until mousse begins to set slightly, about 10 minutes. Spoon 1/3 of lemon mousse (scant 1 cup) atop each layer, then spread gently to edges using offset spatula. Chill layers until mousse firms up slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Gently top with second, then third, being careful not to press down firmly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated.)
• Garnish top edge of cake with white chocolate curls. Sprinkle pistachios and crystallized ginger in center of cake.

PISTACHIO, LEMON, AND VANILLA SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine all purpose flour, sugar, and semolina flour in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter, lemon peel, and vanilla. Using on/off turns, blend until coarse meal forms. Turn dough out into bowl. Add nuts and knead gently to combine. Press dough evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Using fork, pierce dough all over.
• Bake shortbread until pale brown in center and golden at edges, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 6 squares. Cool completely in pan. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with foil; store at room temperature.)
• *Semolina flour, often labeled "pasta flour," is available at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and some supermarkets.

LEMON-RASPBERRY MOUSSE

Steps:

• Cover bottom of an 8x8 casserole dish with vanilla wafers. In a small heat proof bowl, combine jello, boiling water and lemon juice, stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, add ice cubes and mix until ice cubes are dissolved. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest. Gradually add jello mixture to cream cheese mixture - whisking as you incorporate. Whisk in 2 cups of cool whip. Pour half of jello cream cheese mixture over the vanilla wafers. Cover with more wafers. Heat 1/3 cup of raspberry preserves in the microwave for 30 seconds. Brush over the tops of the vanilla wafers with a pastry brush or back of a spoon. Pour the remaining jello mixture over the top of preserves. Stand wafers around the edge of the dish. Chill over night. Prior to serving: Top with remaining cool whip and fresh fruit. We prefer Raspberries, Blueberries and Kiwi!