Layered Raspberry Mousse

This was so light and refreshing, it was one of the favourites after the heavy BBQ dinner we had. It's also one of my favourite things to make as it's easy and the result looks stunning. It's a wonderful dessert on its own and marries well with other sweet elements too for a more special dessert. I've served this with a mascarpone hazelnut millefeuille at Easter two years ago and it was a big hit, but that's another recipe.

Layered raspberry mousse
from BBC Good Food magazine (September 2001)

4 x 125 g punnets of raspberries
3 tablespoons Kirsch or raspberry liqueur
1 tablespoon icing sugar
2.5 leaves gelatine
50 g castor sugar
150 ml double cream
fresh mint sprigs, to decorate

Put 1.5 punnets of raspberries into a bowl, pour in the liqueur and icing sugar, then gently stir until the icing sugar has dissolved. Leave to macerate while making the mousse.

Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften. Set aside 4 raspberries for decoration. Whizz the rest in a food processor, then put into a saucepan with the castor sugar and gently heat until the castor sugar has dissolved. While the raspberries are still hot, lightly squeeze the water out of the gelatine and stir the gelatine into the raspberries. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and leave to cool.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. When the raspberry mixture is cold and starting to set, carefully fold it into the whipped cream.

Spoon have of the liqueur raspberries in the bottom of the serving bowl or individual glasses, then half of the cream mixture. Repeat the layers and chill until set. Decorate with reserved raspberries and sprigs of mint.