This recipe for Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff is an easy-to-make dessert. The ricotta is mixed with mascarpone cheese and some whipped cream. It’s then chilled and topped with drunken strawberries just before serving.
Anytime you’re craving a fuss free treat, whether it be on a hot summer day or simply when feeling too lazy to turn on the oven, this heavenly dessert is it!
For one, it’s incredibly easy to make. In fact the ricotta mixture can be prepped in minutes and then set aside to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
This allows the flavours to meld and also allows the mixture to firm up so that it may cradle all those sweet macerated strawberries.
How to Make Ricotta Mousse
To make this luscious concoction you’ll need a few good quality ingredients.
- ricotta cheese
- mascarpone cheese
- whipping cream
- sugar
- Grand Marnier liqueur
You’ll need a medium sized bowl to beat together the ricotta and mascarpone cheeses along with the sugar and liquor.
Set this cheese mixture aside while you whip some cream in a separate bowl.
Beat the cream until soft peaks form.
Then simply fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture until it’s well incorporated.
Spoon the ricotta and mascarpone mousse into 6 individual serving glasses. Leave some head space to fill with the macerated strawberries.
Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. The mixture will set and firm up.
If planning ahead, you can make the mousse up to 24 hours before serving.
The serving glasses I used are of a 3/4 cup capacity.
I filled the serving glasses to about 2/3 full as to allow some head space to fill with the macerated strawberries.
If you don’t have small serving glasses then small glass serving bowls would also work.
For an extra special touch you can also get a little more fancy and serve the ricotta mousse in martini glasses or even small cognac glasses.
Although typically French, Strawberries Romanoff is a classic dessert of Russian origin. It was supposedly created by a French chef for the royal family of Imperial Russia.
This fruit dessert is one I turned to over and over again for weekend entertaining when hubby and I where first married.
Back then I would always serve it over scoops of vanilla ice cream. It’s so easy and dreamy to make.
A perfect light dessert after an indulgent meal.
Nowadays, in getting a little more creative, I find it wonderful topped over a luscious ricotta and mascarpone mousse.
How to Macerate Strawberries for Ricotta Mousse
Macerating refers to a technique of combining fruits with a liquor and some sugar. You’re essentially marinating the fruits to soften while soaking up the flavourful liquids.
The strawberries are first washed, patted dry, hulled and then quartered. Or you can slice them rather than quarter them if you so wish.
They are then stirred together with some sugar and as in this recipe, with Grand Marnier liqueur. But really, any other orange-flavoured liqueur would do. Such as Cointreau. Also a flavourful brandy or rum would be great as well.
You may also skip the alcohol altogether and replace it with an equal amount of orange juice, if you so wish.
The amount of time used to macerate the strawberries will greatly depend on the sweetness of the berries.
So as a general rule whenever I use Quebec or Ontario strawberries, which are very sweet, I find 30 minutes time is sufficient.
But if you’re strawberries are less so definitely marinate them for 1 full hour.
Then just before serving, spoon the macerated strawberries over the ricotta and mascarpone mousse. The strawberry juice will make its way into the crevices and makes for some pretty swirls.
You can serve the dessert as is. Or, dress it up with a few fresh berries and some roasted sliced almonds. And of course some mint leaves for a splash of colour and pretty garnish!
So simple and gorgeous! You’ll be making this ricotta mousse with strawberries romanoff over and over again!
More strawberry desserts
If you’re craving more strawberry deliciousness then you may want to try a Crespella with Nutella and Berries.
It’s a perfect weekend breakfast or brunch idea! A thin Italian pancake topped with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. And, a drizzle of Nutella.
Or you can get a little more fancier with some elegant and individual servings of Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes.
Happy baking or not with this wonderful no bake ricotta mousse recipe!
Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries Romanoff
Equipment
- 6 individual serving glasses
- 2 medium sized mixing bowls
- Hand held mixer
Ingredients
Ricotta Mousse
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
Strawberries Romanoff
- 1½ cups strawberries washed, hulled and quartered
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
- 1/4 cup roasted, sliced almonds
- mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
Ricotta Mousse
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the ricotta, mascarpone, sugar and the Grand Marnier until well combined.
- In a separate medium sized bowl beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture using a spatula, until well incorporated
- Spoon the ricotta and mascarpone mixture, equally, into 6 individual small sized serving glasses while leaving about 1/3 of head space.
- Cover the glasses with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours if making ahead.
Strawberries Romanoff
- About 1/2 hour before serving, stir together the quartered strawberries, sugar and Grand Marnier.
- Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
- When ready to serve, spoon the strawberry mixture over the individual ricotta mousse while distributing it evenly.
- Garnish each serving glass with a couple of whole berries the toasted sliced almonds and with a sprig of mint leaves.