Description
This Heart-Shaped Raspberry Mousse with a Brownie Base is a delightful and romantic dessert perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. It features a rich, fudgy brownie base topped with a light and airy raspberry mousse, resulting in a balanced treat combining chocolatey depth with fruity freshness. The mousse is infused with real raspberries and a hint of lemon juice for brightness, set with gelatin for the perfect texture. Garnished with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings, this dessert is both visually stunning and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Brownie Base:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
For the Raspberry Mousse:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings:
- Fresh raspberries
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Prepare the Brownie Base: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: To the butter mixture, add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir until the batter is smooth and evenly mixed.
- Bake the Brownie: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool completely.
- Cut Brownie Bases: Once cooled, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out brownie shapes. Place these brownie hearts into silicone heart molds or small ring molds for assembly.
- Make Raspberry Puree: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook until the berries break down and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, creating a smooth raspberry puree.
- Bloom Gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin over the tablespoon of water in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Dissolve Gelatin: Stir the bloomed gelatin into the warm raspberry puree until fully dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Whip Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract to soft peaks, ensuring it holds shape but remains light.
- Combine Mousse: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled raspberry mixture until smooth and fluffy, taking care not to deflate the mousse.
- Assemble: Spoon or pipe the mousse evenly over each brownie base in the molds. Smooth the tops with a spatula for a neat presentation.
- Chill: Refrigerate the assembled desserts for at least 4 hours or until the mousse has set firmly.
- Serve: Carefully remove the mousse cakes from the molds. Garnish with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings as desired before serving.
Notes
- You can prepare the brownie base a day in advance and store it covered at room temperature to save time.
- For a smoother mousse, ensure the raspberry puree is fully cooled before folding in the whipped cream to prevent curdling or separation.
- Use silicone molds for easy removal and clean edges of the heart-shaped mousse desserts.
