Yogurt Mousse with Grapefruit Gelée

I love ruby red grapefruit. I love the shock of beautiful bright color and the bold burst of unapologetic tartness that comes with every bite. It’s readily available in most markets and it's full of Vitamin C. I can't resist.

This is a light and refreshing dessert that celebrates the plain goodness of yogurt and the full fresh jolt of citrus. It’s not a fancy preparation or a complex flavor profile or anything particularly clever. It’s just a cool and creamy excursion into the lighter side of the dessert spectrum that is easy to prepare and doesn’t require any special tools. Simple and satisfying, it's a soft and soothing landing place as we head into spring. Ah, spring!

Bench notes:
- This dessert should be consumed the same day it is made.
- When blooming gelatin, do not pour water onto powdered gelatin. Always sprinkle the powder slowly into cold water to avoid clumping, which will not dissolve and ruin the texture of the final product. Once you’ve added the gelatin to the water, do not stir. The gelatin and water mixture will turn opaque. When ready to proceed with incorporating it into the recipe, heat gently to liquefy so it can be combined smoothly and thoroughly with the dessert mixture. So it goes like this: powder combined with water becomes gel and then is transformed into liquid and combined with the ingredients, then chilled to set up.
- Taste your grapefruit juice and adjust the sugar level according to your own preference for sweetness.
- Salt is very important in coaxing maximum flavor out of citrus. Add a few grains and taste. Keep adding a few more until you achieve a deeper and brighter flavor. You’ll know when you get there.
- I'm remembering a really delicious dessert produced in a pastry kitchen where I once worked that was a perfect composition of lemon curd foam, bergamot meringue, Campari gelée and shards of brisée. So if you like Campari, you might want to experiment around with a splash of that.



Yogurt Mousse with Grapefruit Gelée
4 – 6 servings

Yogurt Mousse

1 1/2 t gelatin
2 T water
2 C (16 oz) plain yogurt
1/2 C sugar
1 t lemon juice, to taste
1 C heavy cream

Grapefruit Gelée

1 1/2 t gelatin
2 T water
1 C fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
1/2 t lemon juice
2 T sugar, to taste
pinch of salt, to taste

grapefruit sections for garnish

For the Yogurt Mousse, bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it into a small cup containing 2 tablespoons of cold water. Do not stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the gelatin is fully absorbed.

Whisk together the yogurt and sugar. Add the lemon juice and combine thoroughly.
Whip the heavy cream just to a very soft peak.
Liquefy the gelatin by placing the cup in a pan of shallow simmering water.
Add the gelatin to the yogurt mixture and blend thoroughly.
Fold in the whipped cream.
Pour into four to six serving glasses or cups.
Chill for about 2 hours.

When the Yogurt Mousse has sufficiently set up, begin the preparation of the Grapefruit Gelée.

Bloom the gelatin in a small bowl by sprinkling it into a small cup containing 2 tablespoons of cold water. Do not stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the gelatin is fully absorbed.

Place about 1/4 cup of the grapefruit juice and the sugar in a saucepan and warm over low heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Cool and combine with the remaining 3/4 C grapefruit juice and the lemon juice. Taste for sugar. Add a very small pinch of salt, to taste.

Liquefy the gelatin by placing the cup in a pan of shallow simmering water.
Whisk into the grapefruit juice.
Pour onto the top of the set Yogurt Mousse, distributing equally.
Refrigerate for about an hour or so or until set.
Slice the grapefruit sections into bite sized pieces, garnish and serve.