I have dessert at least once every day. It's something I'm not willing to give up for any reason. Sometimes it's a small piece of cake with coffee; other times it is fruit with a dollop of whipped cream. I try my best to find a healthy balance and sometimes I do a good job at that - other times, not so much. During the writing of my first cookbook I gained weight, and let me tell you, when you're 5 feet 2 inches tall every extra pound shows. It took several months for me to take the weight off sensibly, and during that time I still refused to give up desserts. I started making lightened-up versions of my favorite recipes at home. It took a bit of creative recipe development and label-reading, but the work was well worth the reward. This is one of the desserts I relied on to satisfy my sweet tooth and keep my indulgences in check.
Unlike traditional mousse recipes, there's no heavy cream or egg yolk in this one - just tangy nonfat Greek yogurt. Powdered gelatin gives it a substantial mousse-like consistency. The best part? It doesn't taste "skinny".
Meyer lemon is thought to be a cross between a lemon and an orange (or mandarin) so it's a tad sweeter and less acidic than a regular lemon. That's why I love using it in this mousse. If you can't find Meyer lemon, then juice from common lemons will work just fine.
This recipe makes 4 servings, but it is very filling and a potent sweet-tart bite. I often divide it into 8 shot-size servings.
Happy weekend!
Skinny Meyer Lemon Mousse
Author: Heather Baird
Yields about four 2/3 cup servings
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
.25 ounce (1 packet) powdered unsweetened gelatin
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (I like Fage or Chobani)
Yellow food color (optional)
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon zest (I used a citrus zester to create curlicues)
Place the lemon juice in a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface in an even layer. Allow it to stand for 3 minutes.
Add the sugar to the pan and set it over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the gelatin mixture melts and the sugar is well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat source and quickly whisk in the yogurt. The mixture may appear curdled at first, but this is normal –keep whisking! Add the food color, if using.
When the mixture is smooth, spoon or pour the mousse into 4 individual dessert cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Just before serving, top the cups with fresh berries and lemon zest. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
Author: Heather Baird
Yields about four 2/3 cup servings
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
.25 ounce (1 packet) powdered unsweetened gelatin
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (I like Fage or Chobani)
Yellow food color (optional)
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon zest (I used a citrus zester to create curlicues)
Place the lemon juice in a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface in an even layer. Allow it to stand for 3 minutes.
Add the sugar to the pan and set it over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the gelatin mixture melts and the sugar is well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat source and quickly whisk in the yogurt. The mixture may appear curdled at first, but this is normal –keep whisking! Add the food color, if using.
When the mixture is smooth, spoon or pour the mousse into 4 individual dessert cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Just before serving, top the cups with fresh berries and lemon zest. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
Love how this dessert looks delicious and is healthy too! I also never give up my dessert!!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious! Love how light it is too :) I agree, it's always good to have lightened-up treats!
ReplyDeleteI used sweetener (sucralose fine powder) instead of sugar and it tasted amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I love lemon tarts and will have to try this recipe. Looks easier to make then the recipes with egg, too, so double score!
ReplyDeleteTotally gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOh this is so beautiful!!! And wonderfully light! Love the twists of lemon peel on top!
ReplyDeleteI love how these deserts look, such a gorgeous pale yellow colour. I think lemon desserts must be my favourite because they taste so fresh. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYUM! These look amazing. Anything lemon is a must-eat in my book! Your photos are gorgeous, too!
ReplyDeleteThis is an unbelievably yummy looking mousse!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteLove it! Where can I find jars like the ones in your photo?
ReplyDeleteHi Cameca! I found these at Terrain's online shop. I've linked them below.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shopterrain.com/mugs-cups/74-oz-weck-jar-set-3523431540012/searchString/weck
xo
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This sounds so delicious! I need to find some meyer lemons and get right on it. :) P.S. I just ordered your book, and it sounds so amazing! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great! Any chance the sugar can be replaced with a substitute such as stevia?
ReplyDeleteHi Mike! Absolutely. Stevia is sweeter than sugar, so it can't be swapped in equal amounts. You can add the stevia a little at a time to the mousse to taste. The powder will dissolve easily with a little stirring, but I imagine stevia drops would integrate even better.
DeleteThanks for asking!
Beautiful pics and beautiful recipe! I can' wait to try this!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Meyer Lemon before and I'm now going to go hunt them down! This looks absolutely incredible! Love the balance between bitter and sweet with this. Yummmmz for days.
ReplyDeleteThis lemony treat sounds great for a bridal brunch. With the woman of the hour going through a Bridal Bootcamp, and some of her attendants also trying to shed some pounds before the big day, this luscious lower calorie mousse is perfect!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and tangy.. perfect dessert!
ReplyDeleteHeather, this is fantastic!!! I made it with grapefruit and pink food coloring, and it's so fabulous. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to trying this soon! How well does it hold up in the fridge? Is it OK to make it a day ahead?
ReplyDeleteHi! Yes, you can certainly make these ahead of time, they hold up well. They should be kept refrigerated.
DeleteI am making your recipe using homemade yogurt. Please note that if you add yogurt with live beneficial bacteria the temp of the lemon sugar mixture should be close to 112f before adding the yogurt or the beneficial probiotics will be killed. It's in the fridge right now and wait to try it after Valentine's dinner! Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDelete