Description
Delight in the elegant Raspberry Pistachio Mousse Cakes, featuring a crisp pistachio almond crust topped with layers of smooth pistachio mousse, tangy raspberry compote, and a light raspberry cream mousse. This no-bake mousse cake with a baked crust combines nutty, creamy, and fruity flavors, making it a stunning dessert perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup pistachios (roasted, unsalted, finely ground)
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pistachio Mousse
- ½ cup pistachios (finely blended)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon gelatin powder
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Compote
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water (slurry)
Raspberry Cream Mousse
- 1 cup raspberries (blended and strained)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon gelatin powder
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
- Fresh raspberries
- Crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the crust.
- Prepare crust mixture: In a bowl, combine the ground pistachios, almond flour, sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until well mixed.
- Form and bake crust: Press the crust mixture firmly into molds or individual cake rings. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden, then allow to cool completely before adding mousse.
- Bloom gelatin for pistachio mousse: Sprinkle gelatin powder over cold water and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Blend pistachio mousse base: In a blender, combine the finely blended pistachios, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Dissolve gelatin: Gently heat the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved, then incorporate it into the pistachio mixture.
- Whip cream and fold: Whip the heavy cream separately until soft peaks form, then gently fold it into the pistachio mixture for a light mousse texture.
- Assemble pistachio mousse layer: Pour the mousse over the cooled crust and chill for 30 minutes to set.
- Cook raspberry compote: In a saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until berries soften, about 5 minutes.
- Thicken compote: Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Layer compote: Spread a thin layer of the cooled raspberry compote over the chilled pistachio mousse.
- Bloom gelatin for raspberry mousse: Sprinkle gelatin powder over cold water and let it soften for 5 minutes.
- Warm raspberry puree: Gently warm the blended and strained raspberries, then mix in the dissolved gelatin. Let cool slightly.
- Whip cream for raspberry mousse: Whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
- Fold raspberry mixture: Gently fold the cooled raspberry gelatin mixture into the whipped cream to make the raspberry cream mousse.
- Pipe raspberry mousse: Carefully pipe or spoon the raspberry mousse over the raspberry compote layer.
- Chill cake: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 4 hours or overnight until fully set.
- Garnish and serve: Before serving, decorate the mousse cakes with fresh raspberries and crushed pistachios for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Ensure the raspberry puree is well strained to avoid seeds in the mousse layers.
- Be gentle when folding whipped cream into the mousse to maintain a light texture.
- The gelatin must be fully dissolved and incorporated to ensure mousse sets properly.
- Use fresh or high-quality frozen raspberries for best flavor.
- Chilling time is important; don’t rush the setting process for the mousse layers.
- For a nut-free variation, substitute the crust with a gluten-free biscuit base, but the flavor will differ.
