Perfectly smooth and creamy Rainier Cherry Mousse! Rainier cherries are light and sweet, and this small batch recipe highlights the freshness of these summer beauties. Best of all – the mousse is refined sugar-free!
Rainier Cherry Summer Dessert
If you’ve never had a Rainier Cherry, you must try them! Better yet, make this Rainier Cherry Mousse and you’ll be in for a sweet treat. The Rainier cherry is named after – you guessed it – Mt. Rainier, in Washington state. It is a sweeter variety of cherry than the Bing, and they have a lighter flesh and skin color than the Bing.
For a fruit that is light and sweet, I thought a creamy mousse would be the perfect summer dessert to highlight the pretty cherries. Of course, there are a lot of dessert options for the Rainier. Just think of everything you would make with a Bing cherry and swap in the Rainier.
- Cherry Skillet Cake
- Puff Pastry Cherry Turnovers
- Cherry Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream
- Cherry Almond Galette For Two
Any of these recipes would work well with Rainier cherries. I would recommend taste testing the cherry first (of course!) then decide how much sugar you want to add – or subtract – from any of these recipes.
How to Make Fruit Mousse
If you have ever made a chocolate mousse, fruit mousse is not that different. Mousse is a light and airy dish that gets its texture from whipped cream (or whipped egg whites) that gets folded into the base.
For this cherry mousse recipe, we add gelatin to the fruit puree. This is similar to how gelatin is an active ingredient in the little Jello and Pudding packages.
Now, here is where we change things up a bit. Instead of dairy whipped cream, we use Whipped Coconut Cream. Because we use gelatin to keep the mousse firm, there is no need to worry about the consistency of the mousse changing with the whipped coconut cream. Plus, as the coconut cream chills, it will firm back up naturally anyway.
More Mousse Recipes
Rainier Cherry Mousse
Equipment
- 2-3 Serving Glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh Rainier cherries, pitted and chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 3 tablespoons honey (3 tablespoons for peach puree; 1 tablespoon for whipping cream)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat (refrigerate overnight)
Instructions
- Pit and chop the cherries. Add to a blender along with lemon juice and puree until light and smooth. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan – without the heat turned on yet – add the water and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let sit for at least 5 minutes for the gelatin to bloom.
- Add the honey to the gelatin mix and turn the heat on to medium-low. Heat the mix until the gelatin and honey have dissolved – about 3 minutes. Do not overcook.
- Add gelatin mix to the cherry puree in the blender and mix for another 30-45 seconds – until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Keep the cherry puree in the blender and cover with a lid. Chill in the refrigerator until the mix starts to thicken. About 1 hour.
- While the cherry puree is chilling, make the whipped coconut cream. Open the can of unsweetened coconut milk and scoop out a 1/2 cup of the coconut solids. Add to a chilled bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. (Optional: If you would like to top the mousse with whipped coconut cream, add more of the coconut solids to the bowl and set some aside for topping).
- Add the chilled peach puree to the whipped coconut cream and gently fold the mix together. The mousse will be the consistency of the whipped cream and will continue to firm as it chills.
- Pour the mousse equally into serving glasses or bowls. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour for the mousse to set. Top with more whipped coconut cream (optional). Serve and enjoy!
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!