Instructions
- 1
Press almond shortbread base into ring. Bake 10 minutes at 170°C. Cool.
- 2
Lemon curd insert: cook yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest until thick. Add gelatin and cold butter. Strain. Pour into insert ring. Freeze solid.
- 3
Lavender mousse: steep lavender in warm cream 20 minutes. Strain thoroughly. Whip to soft peaks.
- 4
Heat 100ml lavender cream with sugar, dissolve gelatin. Cool to 25°C. Fold in whipped cream.
- 5
Assemble: pour lavender mousse. Place frozen lemon insert. Freeze 6 hours.
- 6
Lemon mirror glaze: warm lemon curd, dissolve gelatin. Add yellow coloring. Cool to 30°C.
- 7
Unmold and glaze. Refrigerate 2 hours.
- 8
Garnish with dried lavender, fresh lemon slices and edible flowers.
Baker's Tip
Use culinary-grade dried lavender — decorative or crafting lavender may be treated with chemicals. Steep for exactly 20 minutes and strain thoroughly — over-steeping makes the mousse soapy and overwhelmingly floral. Less lavender makes a subtle, elegant fragrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find culinary lavender?
Culinary lavender is available at specialty food stores, health food shops, farmers markets and online. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the sweetest and most suitable for baking. French lavender is more intense and camphorous — use half the amount if only French lavender is available.
Can I make this without lavender?
Yes — replace lavender with 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste and the zest of one more lemon for a pure lemon mousse cake. Or steep 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile for a honey-floral alternative. The lemon curd insert and lemon glaze remain the same.
How do I get the lemon glaze bright yellow?
Add a small amount of yellow gel food coloring — natural lemon curd is a pale straw color which looks beautiful but does not photograph as vividly as artificially brightened glaze. Start with 3-4 drops and add more drop by drop until you achieve the desired sunny yellow.
Can I use fresh lavender instead of dried?
Fresh lavender has more volatile oils and is more potent — use half the amount and steep for only 10 minutes. The flavor profile is also slightly different, more herbal and green. Either version works but dried is more predictable and consistent in flavor concentration.
About This Recipe
A Provencal-inspired mousse cake combining sharp lemon curd with delicate lavender mousse, on a crispy almond shortbread base, under a pale yellow mirror glaze. Floral, citrus and utterly sophisticated — a Provence garden in every slice.
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