Honey-Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries

This velvety-smooth, berry-topped mousse requires very little time to make – it comes together in just 15 minutes, and then needs just an hour in the refrigerator to firm up.  Ricotta cheese, quickly whipped in a food processor with honey and vanilla, forms the base of the mousse. Folding whipped cream into the ricotta yields a luscious, velvety dessert. With a recipe like this one that calls for just a few ingredients, it's important to use the best you can find. Start with homemade ricotta, or the best, freshest ricotta you can find at the store or farmer's market. Then, to complement the subtly milky, pleasantly grassy flavor of that ricotta, use a mild clover honey. The honey-ricotta mousse is a beautiful canvas for all kinds of toppings. Here, it's garnished with crunchy sliced toasted almonds and juicy fresh strawberries and a final drizzle of honey, but it's adaptable to what's in season or what you like best: you can substitute sweet orange segments or jammy figs for the strawberries, change up the honey drizzle with maple syrup, or try another crunchy topping, like your favorite granola or crushed pistachios, in place of the sliced almonds.

Honey Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries
Photo: Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner
Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Homemade Fresh Ricotta or store-bought fresh ricotta, drained

  • 2 tablespoons clover honey, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • Toasted almond slices, sliced fresh strawberries, and fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

  1. Process ricotta, honey, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a food processor until very smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

  2. Whip heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ricotta mixture, and gently whisk to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold mixture until evenly incorporated, 3 to 5 times. Divide mixture evenly among 4 glasses or bowls. Cover and refrigerate until firm and set, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

  3. Garnish mousse with toasted almond slices, sliced fresh strawberries, mint leaves, and a drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead

Prepared mousse can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.

Related Articles