Strawberry Mousse Tart

We finally had a taste of Spring this past weekend. Temperatures in the fifties, flowers beginning to emerge from their hibernation and the sun even decided to peek through the clouds and grace us with its presence. I began to grow excited, knowing that I’ll be able to get back out in the garden soon!

A friend of mine, his fiancé and their daughter came over for dinner as well! Both my boyfriend and friend enjoy strawberries, so I knew I wanted to have dessert incorporate the sweet berry. The rest of the menu included bruschetta, shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage creole with rice and strawberry rhubarb wine.

Back to dessert. The original recipe called for a sweet shortcrust pastry for the tart shell. To save time and my sanity, I opted for a graham cracker crust. I also made mini meringues, to garnish the finished tart, the day before.

The tart was absolutely delicious! The mousse was light and creamy. The strawberry flavor really came through with the strawberry jam layer and then the freshness of the mousse. I would definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Strawberry Mousse Tart

Ingredients:

Crust
Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 T Butter, melted
¼ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Strawberry Jam

Filling
1.1 Lb fresh Strawberries, hulled
1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 t Powdered Gelatin
1 ¼ Cups Whipping Cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the crust, line the bottom of your 9-inch tart tin with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter together; it should have the consistency of wet sand. Spoon the graham cracker crumb mixture into the prepared tart tin. Be sure to press the crumbs up the sides and spread it evenly.
Place the tart tin into the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Once cooled, spread the jam over the base.

For the filling, puree the strawberries and powdered sugar, then strain into a saucepan to remove most of the seeds. Discard the seeds.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the strawberry puree then stir over a low heat until the gelatin has dissolved. Place in the refrigerator for a ½ hour to cool.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Mix half a cup into the strawberry mix. Then gently fold the rest of the whipped cream through the strawberry mix being gentle so you don’t lose all the air you whipped into it.

Gently spread the mixture over the tart base. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set.

When ready to serve remove from the refrigerator. If your tart tin has a removable bottom, remove the strawberry tart from the tin and place on your favorite serving platter. I decorated mine with sliced strawberries and mini meringues.

Strawberry mousse recipe courtesy of Sugar Salt Magic blog