Strawberry Mousse with Vanilla Compote on Shortbread Base

Instructions

1. 1

   Begin by making the shortbread base. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a bowl, mix together 150g all-purpose flour, 100g butter, and 50g icing sugar until a dough forms. Press the dough into a tart pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool.

2. 2

   For the strawberry mousse, soak 4 sheets of gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Puree 200g strawberries and pass through a sieve to remove seeds. Heat the puree with 50g sugar until the sugar dissolves, then add the drained gelatin and mix until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Whip 200ml heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the cooled strawberry mixture. Add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired color. Pour the mousse over the cooled shortbread base and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

4. 4

   For the vanilla compote, split 1 vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Combine the seeds, pod, 50g sugar, 100ml water, and 100ml glucose syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 tsp gelatin powder in 50ml water, then add to the simmering compote. Cook for another minute, then remove from heat and let cool.

5. 5

   Once the compote has cooled, pour it over the set mousse. Melt 200g white chocolate and drizzle over the top of the compote for decoration. Refrigerate the dessert until ready to serve.