White chocolate and strawberry mousse.

If we get a break in the weather and the time being right, you should be able to go out and pick some strawberries soon. And nothing taste like a strawberry picked straight from the plant, warmed by the sun. Also if you are going to have strawberry any other way apart from with some cream then it has to be with white chocolate. Some thing very special about this particular taste combination that I really love. And what is not to love, its white chocolate and strawberries, come on.

You will need.

750g/1lb 10½oz strawberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
225g/8oz white chocolate
7g/¼ oz powdered gelatine
450ml/15¾fl oz double cream
30g/1oz icing sugar

Now as long as you work reasonably carefully this recipe is not to hard to make either so do not panic take your time and you will be fine.

First take half of the strawberries and puree them until smooth then pass through a sieve to remove any of the pips. Then add the lemon juice, slice up the remaining strawberries and add them to the purée as well.

Now place a heatproof bowl that fits on a saucepan half-filled with water on the heat. Break the chocolate up and let it melt. You just want the water to simmer not boil so do not have the stovetop on to high.

In a small pan add the gelatine and a little water and just let it soften for about 5 or so minuets. Now take almost all of the cream and whisk this until you get nice soft peaks then place that to one side.

Now in the small pan add the sugar and the little bit of cream that is left then very gently het this so the sugar dissolves and the gelatine melts.

Now bring every thing together, add the gelatine through a sieve in to the melted chocolate. Mix this in it will look like it has split at first but it will go smooth. Then add ⅔ of the strawberries and mix them in to the chocolate. Now take some of the whipped cram and just add a coupe of spoons and mix that in.  Once you have done that Add the chocolate strawberry mix to the cream in the cold bowl, and gently fold every thing together.

Now in each dish you are serving your mouse in divide up the remaining strawberry mix in to the bottom of each dish. Then set an amount of mouse on top of that and then chill in the fridge for about 3 to 4 hours so it really sets.

Then all you have to do is garnish it with a fresh strawberry and a little short bread biscuit and you are in summer pudding heaven.