Summer is no time to give up on dessert. Sure, your air conditioner is blasting 24/7 and you’re wearing far less clothing than during the other 8 months of the year, but skipping dessert? Not worth it. Not when there are fresh berries and stone fruit to be had.
While I may be slightly more dessert obsessed than the next gal, I think we can all agree that in summertime, Mother Nature offers up some of the absolute best and most beautiful ingredients she has to offer. The kind of ingredients that are just begging to be churned into ice cream or baked into a pie. It’s the time of the year that I feel most inspired to be in the kitchen, my creative energy kicked into high gear at the site of plump, juicy blackberries and deep purple plums that, I swear to you, are so ripe they glow.
This, more times than not, puts me between a rock and a hard place because without a doubt, turning on the oven in the middle of June is the last thing my energy bill needs. (Though this one, I swear, is totally worth the oven time.) As a result, for the last few years, I’ve dedicated my summers almost completely to no-bake recipes. There are, of course, exceptions to be made but no-bake desserts deserve their moment in the sun, and what better time than when it’s swelteringly hot outside? Scroll down for my favorite no-bake dessert that’s perfect for summer.
This blender mousse is my latest no-bake masterpiece. It’s incredibly simple both in process and ingredients, making it the perfect recipe to highlight summer’s best without taking away from your pool day. For this version, I chose to create two layers, one peach and one strawberry. To elevate the flavors a bit, I infused the peach with dried lavender (my absolute favorite) and the strawberry with fresh basil. The floral notes are subtle and completely optional but a great addition if you’re making this dessert for a crowd you’re looking to impress.
If peaches haven’t reached your markets yet, you can cheat a little and use canned peaches. They work really well here because they tend to be a little on the sweet side and they’re a huge time saver since they’re already peeled for you. And because summer fruit is so naturally sweet, you barely have to add any sugar to this mousse — I added a touch of honey but if you’re watching your sugar intake you could omit it without sacrificing flavor. The finished product is a light mousse that is bright, refreshing and bursting with the flavor of summer’s best.
Oh, and perhaps the best part? All you need to make this no-bake summer treat is a saucepan and a blender. Enjoy!
Fruit Blender Summer Mousse
Serves 6-8 servings
The Perfect No-Bake Dessert for Hot Summer Nights
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
40 minutes
Categories
Ingredients
For the peach + lavender mousse:
- 3 cups fresh, sliced peaches, skin removed (or 2 15 oz. cans peaches in juice)
- 1/2 cup peach nectar (can substitute orange juice)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon culinary grade dried lavender (optional)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (1 packet)
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the strawberry + basil mousse:
- 3 cups fresh, sliced strawberries (can sub frozen)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, adjust based on sweetness of fruit)
- 1/2 cup water or preferred juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 12 fresh basil leaves, gently smashed to release oils
- 2 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (1 packet)
- 1/2 cup cream or half & half
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To make the peach + lavender mousse: Drain the peaches if using canned, and add to a blender. Set aside.
- Add the peach nectar, lemon juice and honey to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to combine and warm gently until honey is melted into the mixture. Add the lavender and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let the lavender steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain the lavender from the juice mixture and return the liquid to the saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid and let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- While the gelatin is softening, add the cream and salt to the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Warm the peach liquid and gelatin over low heat, stirring until the gelatin has dissolved. With the blender on low, slowly add the gelatin mixture to the blended peaches and blend for another minute.
- Divide the mousse mixture between 6-8 serving dishes and place in the refrigerator to set. If layering, you'll need to wait until the peach mousse is mostly set (1-2 hours) before making the second layer of strawberry mousse.
- To make the strawberry + basil mousse: Add sliced strawberries to the (clean) blender. If strawberries are underripe or unsweet, add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside.
- Add the water or preferred juice, lemon juice and honey to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to combine and warm gently until honey is melted into the mixture. Add the basil leaves and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let the basil steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain the basil from the mixture and return the liquid to the saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid and let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- While the gelatin is softening, add the cream and salt to the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Warm the liquid and gelatin over low heat, stirring until the gelatin has dissolved. With the blender on low, slowly add the gelatin mixture to the blended strawberries and blend for another minute.
- Divide strawberry mousse mixture amongst the already filled and set serving dishes. Refrigerate to set, at least 2 hours.
- Serve chilled with whipped cream and fresh mint for garnish.
love this very sophisticated summer dessert, the pictures are beautiful! And lavender infused too, wonderful, thank you for this recipe