This light, creamy and refreshing dessert makes for a perfect after dinner treat that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve overindulged.
Serves 8
Ready in 1 hour, plus cooling and chilling
Ingredients:
3 gelatine leaves
150ml fresh orange juice
250g ricotta cheese
250g full fat soft cheese
100g caster sugar
2 tsp orange zest
300ml double cream
2 egg whites
For the orange glaze:
1 gelatine leaf
150ml fresh orange juice
2 oranges, peeled, segmented and flesh chopped
Fresh mint sprigs, to decorate
Soak the gelatine leaves in a shallow bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until soft. Heat the orange juice in a small pan until almost boiling then remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess liquid from the gelatine leaves and stir into the hot juice until dissolved. Cool for 15 minutes.
Beat the ricotta and cream cheese together in a large bowl until smooth, then beat in the caster sugar and orange zest. Fold in the cooled gelatine.
Whip the cream in a bowl until softly peaking and, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the cream into the orange mixture followed by the egg whites.
Spoon the mixture into a 20cm square baking dish that is at least 5cm deep. Gently level the surface and chill in the fridge for 3 hours, or until set.
To make the orange glaze, soften the gelatine in cold water as in step one. Heat the orange juice in a small pan until almost boiling then remove from the heat. Squeeze the excess liquid from the gelatine leaf and stir into the hot juice until dissolved. Cool for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until beginning to thicken. Pour over the chilled mousse then top with the diced orange flesh.
Chill in the fridge for 2 hours, or until the glaze has set. Cut into squares decorated with fresh mint sprigs and serve with crisp butter biscuits or shortbread fingers.
Make it tangy: Stir a spoonful of warmed fine-shred marmalade into the orange glaze before it cools for an extra tangy flavour.
