Limoncello Basil Cloud Cups
This is a fluffy lemon mousse with a little kick from Limoncello, sitting on a crumbly basil cookie base. It’s a summer thing, light and kinda fancy but not in a way that makes you feel like you need a napkin ring or anything.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Measuring cups
- Spatula
- Serving cups
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for basil cookie base
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold, diced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for cookie base
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves chopped finely, for cookie base
- 3 large egg yolks for mousse
- 1 cup heavy cream cold, for mousse
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar for mousse
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp Limoncello
- 1 tsp lemon zest for mousse
Instructions
- First, make the basil cookie base. Toss flour, sugar, and chopped basil in a bowl. Add cold butter and rub it in with your fingers until it looks crumbly but holds together if you squeeze it. This part smells kinda herbal and buttery, which is weird but good.
- Press the crumbly mix into the bottom of your serving cups, just a thin layer. Chill them while you work on the mousse. The base is a little rustic, so don’t worry if it’s not perfectly smooth.
- For the mousse, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until thick and pale. It takes a few minutes and you gotta keep moving so it doesn’t scramble. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and Limoncello. It smells kinda bright and sharp.
- Let that mixture cool a bit while you whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Then fold the cream gently into the lemon mixture. It’s fluffy but still holds some shape, which is nice.
- Spoon the mousse over the chilled basil cookie base in the cups. Smooth or swirl it, whatever. Chill the whole thing for at least 2 hours to set. If you’re impatient, it won’t be as good but it’s still edible.
- Serve cold. If you want, garnish with a little basil leaf or a tiny lemon twist but it’s not necessary. Sometimes simple is better, even if you have fancy stuff lying around.
Notes
This dessert is best eaten the same day but can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cookie base might get softer over time, which is kind of expected. Also, if you don’t have Limoncello, a splash of lemon vodka or just extra lemon juice works okay-ish.