I’m in love. I didn’t mean to fall in love, I swear I didn’t, but it just happened. It took me by surprise. Fortunately for me, there is room in my life for both my husband and my new love. Because my new love is a food item…Meyer Lemons. I had heard of this lovely citrus fruit long before I ever saw one up close and personal. I first heard of them from my father-in-law a few years ago, and since then I’ve seen them making the rounds all over the foodblogging world. Those bloggers lucky enough to live in California seemed to have more of them than they knew what to do with. But my local grocery store up here isn’t exactly known for carrying the more exotic or interesting gourmet items, so I was surprised to see them a few weeks ago. I bought a bag and practically ran home to try them out.
Meyer lemons are smaller than conventional lemons, they are more orange in colour, and they aren’t quite as tart. The minute I cut into one, I could smell the difference – to me, it seemed to have an almost spicy aroma. I made Meyer Lemon curd with some of them, which was wonderful, and I wanted to find another dessert that would showcase their unique flavour. I also wanted to try working with gelatin. Beyond the occasional box of Jell-O, which I don’t much like, I’ve never made anything with gelatin in it. I’d long had my eye on a recipe for Lemon Mousse in How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, so it seemed like the perfect match for my Meyer Lemons.
I did modify the recipe a little bit. To make it low carb, I obviously had to forego the sugar in favour of a low carb sweetener. And I only had three eggs in the house, so I decided to attempt it with one less egg than his recipe called for. I don’t think either of these changes made much difference to the end result, but I do have one little issue which is purely cosmetic. I originally wanted to chill and set the mousse in individual servings but the instructions said to stir the mixture occasionally while it chilled, so I decided to leave it one big bowl. However, the mousse set very quickly and stirring it was not really an option. Dishing it out into a pretty serving for pictures was not an easy feat and after I’d played with it a while, trying it in different bowls and cups, it bore a strong resemblance to scrambled eggs. I would have been better off dishing it out at the beginning and letting it set in ramekins or dessert cups.
The Results: But the flavour, oh the flavour was wonderful – tart and lemony, but with a Meyer Lemon sweetness. And the texture was incredibly creamy and rich, despite it’s not-as-photogenic-as-I-had-hoped appearance. I am thoroughly infatuated with Meyer Lemons and their unique flavour and I think this mousse is a dessert worth making. Just be forewarned that it sets quickly and if you want to show off with an elegant dessert, you will want to divide it up before you let chill it. Whether or not you plan on taking photos of it, it will be much prettier served in individual-sized cups!
Meyer Lemon Mousse – adapted from Mark Bittman
1 (1/4 oz) package unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice (4-5 Meyer Lemons)
3 eggs
1 tbsp grated Meyer Lemon zest
1/4 cup granulated erythritol
1 cup whipping cream
12 drops stevia extract
In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice and let sit.
Meanwhile, beat eggs, lemon zest, and erythritol in a large bowl until frothy. In another, medium bowl, beat cream with stevia until it holds stiff peaks.
Warm the gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring continuously, until the gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Cool for 1 minute, then stir into egg mixture.
Stir whipped cream thoroughly into egg/gelatin mixture. Divide into 6 small ramekins or dessert cups and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Garnish with extra whipped cream and slices of Meyer Lemon or zest.
Makes 6 servings. Each serving has a total of 11.16g of carbs, but only 3.16g if you subtract erythritol.
This looks so refreshing!
This sounds delicious! I've never seen meyer lemons here but if I do, I'll run with a bag too ;). And make this mousse.
I love those mousse! So refreshing! Bet they would be great on the tartlets I baked. :-))
Mousse looks so sunny, soft and lovely.. I think I would fall in love with this mousse 🙂
Oh that sounds so light and tasty and Spring-like. What a lovely dessert.
OK, I'm sold. I need to find some meyer lemons and give them a try. This looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
I'm drooling all over my computer now. That looks outstanding! We don't have Meyer Lemons here and to be honest, I'd not even heard of them before one of the blogs I follow did a series. Ever since, I've been trying to think of how to get to California…
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
As much as I love Lemons, I haven't had Meyer lemons, but Ill be on a mission now to find some. Your mousse looks so light and Lemony, a taste of spring for sure.
I love anything citrus and this would be such a lovely dessert to serve when it is warm outside. Sounds so refreshing!
This is a mousse I think I could fall in love with too! Sounds so refreshing for these hot days here in Houston. Yummy!
This looks like a glorious and light treat. I've got to try it!
I'm on a lemon kick and this looks beautiful and full of flavor. I have to try this…thanks for sharing!
Oh wow your mousse looks so fresh and lovely. It sounds so perfect for summer here 🙂
Yummy yum..I would fell in love with that dessert too! Look so good and delicious!! And color is amazing!!!
This looks great! I got into Meyer lemons a few years back … now they seem like they're really taking off in the food world! And with good reason, they're delicious! Thanks for sharing this beautiful mousse!
I think it looks amazing. Light, fluffy and flavorful. Yum!
This looks delicious! I have yet to make anything with Meyer lemons – although I'm now living in California!! – so I'll try this mousse 🙂
Oh that looks so springy, yummy…mmmmmm!
Meyer lemons are really hard to come by around here, too…darn midwest!
I do love curd, though… I make it with oranges, lemons, tangerines…whatever I've got on hand. It's beautiful … especially on top of some scones or pies 🙂
I adore Meyer lemons. They are a bit hard to find around here but I know a specialty store that gets them in from California periodically so I have a plan…LOL. This really sounds so good. I think it turned out perfectly photogenic. It's making me drool! 🙂
Love love love meyer lemons! Beautiful photos, by the way.
I have never seen such lovely lemon mousse! Wow- Carolyn your food is going to be haunting my dreams again this week!! I wish we were neighbors and I could just drop by to be a taste-tester! 🙂
♥- K
i didn't know there was such a big difference with meyer lemons… i've read about other bloggers using them, too. thanks for the clarification!!
this looks so tasty and perfect for spring!
Light, fluffy and a beautiful presentation. Perfect for family or company!
Carolyn, that does it. I need to get my hands on meyer lemons. I've been hearing about them but evidently at my market they don't know of it. Frustrating, but looking at that mousse, I'm in love too!
A lovely flavor for a mousse. I never get tired of lemons and the bright, fresh taste they bring.
This looks & sounds delicious!
I just need to drop a few berries on top of your lemon mousse and my day would be made. Glad your husband won't be jealous of your new love ;>
Looks perfect for spring. Mike's dad grows meyer lemons and always gives us more than we know what to do with. They're now going your way.
I think I missed the boat on the Meyer Lemons… I peaked at a bag in Shaw's the other day and they didn't look so great. Can't believe I snoozed considering how many fabulous recipes have been swimming around using them. Sigh. This looks incredible though.
Your mousse looks so light and airy! I love meyer lemons, they are so different from regular lemons!
Wow this looks sooooo good! I love anything with lemon but with meyer lemons is even better. I wish I had some of your meyer lemon mousse right now. 🙂
mousse looks wonderfully delicious
You know how I feel about lemons lately. After the lemon pudding I'll have to try this mousse. I am sure I will fall in love too!
I dont think Ive ever seen Meyer lemons, even though Ive heard a lot about them. The lemons at my local markets, are just lemons. This mousse and your love of them makes me want to hunt them down though!
Looks like a beautiful love affair that all would approve. =)
This mousse sounds lemony, fresh and wonderful!
Looks heavenly….I'm all about the Meyer lemons…. slightly sweet with less pucker! Fantastic!
We're in love with the same lemon..luckily there are plenty to share. Not where I live though so was fortunate to have a friend send me some. The aroma alone started my love affair.
This looks lovely and delicious!
Some foods are just difficult to photograph, but I think this looks great! I am going to send it to my mom because my dad would love it!
This looks perfect for spring!
1. I can't wait tp make this, yum! 2. The piece of cloth in the picture makes me laugh b/c as I'm reading this I'm burping my baby, w/ a burp cloth someone made me w/ that fabric. haha, totally random.
Great one! Love this twist using Meyer Lemon
Great one! Love this twist using Meyer Lemon
You know, I've never used meyer lemons, but now I'm going to search high and low to try this deliciously spring time dessert!
Carolyn, this mousse is so lovely! I would have never thought to make a lemon mousse, but this will be perfect for spring and summer desserts. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic spring treat!
Looks totally perfect for spring! Makes me think is actually may be coming…
Everybody is making amazing things with Meyer lemon, but unfortunately I have not seen them in our groucery store yet.
As always your desserts are superb, but your lemon mousse is over the top
lemony goodness, and as light as
"angel wings"…Yumm!
xo
Carolyn,
Just to say that you probably already have these already, but wanted to pass on awards to you. I adore your blog and also you as a blogger friend! Take care.
http://madaboutmacarons.com/archives/2338
Oh yum, looks like spring in a ramekin!
It's rainy and gross outside my window right now, and this really is like a fresh ray of sunshine. Yum!
Hi Carolyn! I thought your story of buying the bag of meyer lemons and ran running home to cook was really cute. I could imagine. Yeah even living in California (san fran), I get excited when it's time for meyer lemons. They don't stay too long. When I saw Costco selling a big pack, I had to buy it and zest, juice, and freeze the leftover for non-season time. I didn't know it was so hard to get elsewhere. Your mousse looks delicious. Maybe I will use my frozen meyer lemon for this recipe. 🙂 Thanks for posting.
Lately everyone is making something with these amazing lemons I've never seen :((( Am I the last person ?
Your mousse sounds so refreshing.
Thanks for sharing Carolyn
My cousin is looking for gluten free recipes, I forward this one to her. It looks amazing.
-Gina-
I live in New Zealand and just about every house has a back yard with a Meyer lemon tree! We just call them lemons as you don't really get any other type here unless you purposely go to the garden centre and buy Yen Ben or another variety I forget the name of. So funny reading all your comments about something I just take for granted!
I can't wait to try this! What was the original quantity of sugar that the recipe called for for those of us who want to make the bad-for-you version?
The original recipe took 1/2 cup of sugar.
Yum, it looks so good.
Welcome to the Meyer Lemon fan club! Good stuff isn't it?
Mt MIL has a Meyer lemon tree and I LOVE when whe brings me lemons. Your mousse looks so light and refreshing!
What a beautiful mouse, looks so creamy and delicious 🙂
Two Words: "In Love"
Two Words: "In Love"
Gasp! I've never had a Meyer lemon. I see them all over now and there are recipes popping up all over the place, but I've not had one. I guess I need to remedy that somehow.
I think the mousse looks fantastic. I want me some. thanks for the heads-up on the quick setting up though.
These look very light and refreshing! http://www.frenchtoastandwine.com
This looks so delicious, and I love how you used stevia.
Meyer lemons are smaller and softer than Eureka or regular lemons. They don't really zest very well because they are soft. In most of CA, many backyards have their own tree and when a Meyer lemon tree is happy, with good exposure and plenty of water during the summer, it will produce lemons year round. So fabulous.
this looks yummy. I like that it includes stevia. never quite sure about stevia recipes.
http://www.nycsinglemom.com
wonder how this would work with Pomona pectin – you can jell water with that stuff!!!
I’m in the middle of making this right now….looks so yummy! But as I’m going through the recipe, is it correct that eggs aren’t cooked? That’s the way it reads to me (stir cooled lemon juice/gelatin mixture into egg mixture), but I wanted to be sure. I have a thing about eating raw eggs….
Yup, not cooked, as is typical with mousse. You should definitely use Safest Choice eggs if you are concerned. They are the only pasteurized eggs in their shell and they work very well.
my favorite citrus dessert yet!
thanks so much!
Interesting to see they’re rare in the US – in New Zealand most backyards have a Meyer, they’re less cold sensitive than the commercial varieties.
I shall give this a go (the tree is loaded with lemons)
a very yummy mousse… I made 7 servings and there is only one left in my fridge now … could eat it daily :))
Carolyn- thank you! We have a huge Meyer Leom tree in our back yard in so CA. We CUT IT DOWN 17 years ago to add onto our very small house. Thank God we did a terrible job with the cut down- the tree grew back and produces the best Meyer lemons ever. Just made this and it’s delish. I made lemon curd last week. I too am on a lemon roll with desserts. Thanks for all your fantastic work. Love your blog & read it and your FB posts daily.
Wow, I am glad you did a terrible job too! 😉
Hi!
I read through the comments but couldn’t find my answers…
1.) how much gelatin is that? I have a tall canister versus the box.
2.) will this work with regular lemons? Never had a Meyer Lemon and may have missed them this year 🙂
Thanks!
What kind of gelatin do you have? Is it the grassfed kind? It works a little differently so I need to know in order to help you out. And yes you can use regular lemons.
I thought so, but as I look now it doesn’t say that. It is the Great Lakes one in the orange can. Online, I found a picture that shows 1 T = one envelope. A Tablespoon seems like too much to me; what do you think?
No, that’s exactly right. When using that brand, 1 tbsp is what I use in place of an envelope of Knox. It doesn’t work quite the same way so use what they say.
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
I just have to ask…this does not get cooked, so you’re eating raw eggs, correct? I’ve always heard it’s not good to consume raw eggs.
Yes, the eggs are raw. If you have concerns, I suggest using Safest Choice eggs. They are pasteurized right in the shell.