This makes really nicely balanced dessert with the sweet white chocolate and the refreshing sorbet and fresh strawberries. The honeycomb adds some texture and crunch, as well as a slightly caramel taste. I have used mini rectangular moulds here, but there would be nothing to stop you using any kind of pudding mould for the mousse. A good tip is to lightly oil the mould and the cling film. Also, if it sticks, pop it in the freezer until firmer and it comes out much cleaner.
For the Mousse
Ingredients
- 100g white chocolate
- 1 leaf of gelatine
- 1 egg
- Tsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 150ml double cream
Method
Take the moulds you will be using for the mousse – use a small pudding basin and line with cling film. Alternatively you could line a cake time and pour into this and cut slices when chilled
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes
Chop 4 AVA strawberries into very small pieces – set aside
Melt the chocolate on a bain-marie until melted
Whip the double cream to soft peaks
Separate the egg.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the sugar, salt and egg yolk.
Now squeeze the water out of the gelatine and add to the mixture – whisking quickly.
Now add the whipped cream and fold into mixture, trying to keep as much air as possible in it.
Now whisk the egg white to soft peaks and fold through the mixture
Fold the chopped AVA strawberries through the mixture
Pour or spoon into the mould/s and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours
I would also suggest putting the mousse in the freezer for the last hour – makes it easier to get out of the mould. Just allow to sit for a little while to come back up to temperature before eating.
For the Sorbet
- 350g AVA strawberries
- 60g caster sugar
- 50ml water
- ¼ of a lime – juiced
Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and set aside
Place the AVA strawberries in a food processor or use a hand blender to blitz to a puree
Pass this through a sieve to remove pips
Add to syrup mixture and chill in the fridge
Churn in an ice cream maker or freeze (removing often to blitz in food processor and then adding back to freezer every hour or so until frozen)
Macerated Strawberries
100g AVA strawberries
Tbsp caster sugar
Slice the strawberries in to slices or quarters, depending on size and how you want the finished dish to look
Place in a bowl with sugar and leave to sit for half an hour until the juices have run a little, but not so that they have broken down too much
Honeycomb
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 ½ Tbsp Golden syrup
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Grease a metal cake tin (10cm sq) or a loaf tin
Heat the sugar and syrup in a deep saucepan
Heat gently to begin with to ensure all of the sugar has melted (this might take 5 minutes)
Now turn up the heat until you have achieved an amber caramel colour
Throw in the bicarbonate of soda and stir with a wooden spoon or metal whisk until incorporated – be careful as this will puff up and will be very hot!
Pour into the greased tine and leave to cool for an hour or so – it should now be hard and should break into honeycomb pieces
To Serve
- Carefully remove the mousse from their moulds – arrange in plate
- Arrange the macerated strawberries around them
- Break up honeycomb into shards
- Place a scoop of the sorbet on the plate
