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Yuzu, Thyme, Raspberry Mousse Cakes

Yuzu Thyme Raspberry Dessert Cake Recipe

I am a lover of herbaceous desserts. They bring pleasant unexpected notes to any dish. The aromatics are heavenly, and their affect on citrus is nothing short of dynamically interesting.

Today, I'm utilizing yuzu and thyme, and one of my all time fave fruits - no,correction - fave ingredients - raspberries! The mashup of flavors is one you will come back for again. You'll soon find that thyme and yuzu dance well together,and raspberry intensifies the beat. Citrus, herb, and sweet probably tops my list for favorite flavor profiles. A cool plus to a dessert like this is how well it pairs with wine. Now me, I'm a Stella girl, but every once in a while, a glass of wine calls my name. With this dessert on my plate, that bottle of Grigio starts talking.

You can make this dessert in one afternoon. Just be sure to make time for proper refrigeration or freezing time. It has to set, or else it could fall apart (get too soft) before you are done eating it. Also, the flavors need to mature a bit.

This dessert recipe was designed for yuzu. It's a powerhouse for flavor. It's subtle yet strongly acidic. It tastes like mix between an orange, meyer lemon, and a wee bit of vinegar. There's a savory element that lends itself nicely to this dessert. The thyme highlights it, but the sweet raspberry mellows it. Nevertheless, orange, grapefruit, and lemon will all do similar work.

In case you go looking for yuzu juice, and wish to know why it costs what it does, it's because the yuzu fruit doesn't yield much juice. You're paying for more fruit per bottle than most other types of fruit juice, thus more labor, and so on.

As you can see, I have used a mold. I mention this in my notes section, but molds are not required. This would actually make a beautiful wine glass dessert (notes section). If you want, order a mold from Amazon, or from ME! For anyone interested, I expect to have my molds ready to go within the next 2-3 weeks. Just stay tuned. I'll be sure to mention it here on the blog as well as via email.

In the meantime, I want to encourage you to make these delicious cakes, especially for folks you love. I hear these really intensify loving bonds. That's not true. Not entirely. I just want you to try them.

yuzu dessert recipe
Yuzu Thyme Raspberry Dessert Recipe
Print Recipe

Yuzu Thyme Raspberry

Acidic, herbaceous, with sweet notes throughout .
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time2 hrs 30 mins
Freezing Time3 hrs
Total Time6 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: individual desserts, lemon desserts, mousse desserts, raspberry, yuzu cake, yuzu desserts
Servings: 6 domes

Ingredients

Yuzu Cake

  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 egg room temp
  • 2 tsp milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp citrus juice yuzu, lemon, orange, grapefruit

Raspberry Center

  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
  • 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin

Yuzu Mousse

  • 1/4 cup yuzu juice or other citrus variety
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves only
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 2 tsp powdered gelatin
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream whipped stiff

White Chocolate Glaze

  • 6 oz white chocolate not chips
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • yellow food coloring gel or powder

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat that oven - 350
  • Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add in the salt and stir to combine.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the oil.
  • Whip the eggs and sugar on medium-high until light.
    Whipped eggs and sugar with butter for dessert recipe
  • Gently stir the milk into the egg and sugar mixture.
  • Add the butter and oil, and then citrus juice.
  • Sprinkle the flour mixture over the eggs. Using a whisk, quickly but gently combine until batter is smooth.
  • Spread the batter onto a half sheet lined with parchment paper, or a 13x9 cake pan lined with parchment. No need to spray or butter.
  • Bake for 10-15, or remove once a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Raspberry Center

  • Heat the jam over low heat.
  • Meanwhile, over 1 tbsp of cold water, sprinkle the gelatin. Allow it bloom.
  • Once hot, add the bloomed gelatin and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and cool for approximately 5 minutes. Then put the jam in a piping bag, or sandwich bag.

Yuzu Mousse

  • Over 1 tsp cold water, sprinkle the gelatin. If 1 tsp isn't enough, add 1/2 tsp more of water.
  • Fill a medium pot half way with tap water and heat to boiling, or set up your bain marie for use.
  • In a heatproof bowl, combine the yuzu (or other citrus juice) juice, eggs, thyme, sugar, and butter.
  • Decrease the heat to medium low, and place your juice mixture over the hot water. Stir continuously until loosely thickened. This may take anywhere from 12-25 minutes. All pots, stoves, and stirring arms are different. (o:
  • Once thickened, remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Once cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Your mousse is now ready to use.
  • If you have a silicone mold, fill each cavity slightly less than half way. In the center, pipe a circle of jam. Pipe more mousse to cover the jam. Top with a circle of cake. Gently press the cake into the mousse remembering that jam is beneath and we do not want to disturb its place or shape within the mousse. Smooth a layer of mousse over the cake. Freeze until completely hard, 2-3 hours.
  • If you do not have mold, and want to get fancy, you may layer in your glass or ramekin in much the same fashion. Put the mousse in a piping bag and pipe into a glass or deep ramekin. Silicone mold or a pretty wine glass - both are equally sexy. Refrigerate your glasses or ramekins for 1-2 hours, minimum.

Yellow Glaze

  • Heat the white chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, add yellow food coloring. Begin with just a tiny sprinkle of powder or dot of gel, and make additions until you get your desired color. Stir with a rubber spatula to evenly distribute color and oil throughout the chocolate.
  • For molded desserts - place mousse domes on wire rack, and drizzle glaze over until completely covered.
  • For glass or ramekins - drizzle about a quarter inch layer of glaze on top. If I were you, I'd fallow the glaze to harden in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, I would pile fresh raspberries on top! Ooooo! So pretty! I've got a dinner party coming up. Guess what we'll be having for dessert!

Notes

This recipe will work with any citrus juice. Just be certain to strain fresh juices.
I have utilized silicone molds for this recipe...that I'll actually be selling from my shop soon! There will be a mold for the lemon dome and the raspberry center. I have modified my instructions for use without a mold or for use with ramekins. You can also layer this dessert in a glass.
If you're interested in reserving a set, please feel free to comment here in the comment section or send me an email at sdbdotshop@gmail.com. When they are ready to ship, you will be notified.
Yuzu Thyme Raspberry Dessert Recipe
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10 thoughts on “Yuzu, Thyme, Raspberry Mousse Cakes”

  2. you do not say how much milk in the cake. Also the directions for the mousse mentions sugar, but no sugar listed in ingredients for mousse

    Reply

  3. I think this recipe is supposed to say a quarter sheet pan which is 13×9 and not a half sheet which is 13×18. If you use a half sheet pan you will not be as happy.
    I’m also wondering what size spherical molds these are supposed to be?

    Reply

    • This batter in a quarter sheet pan May bake up quite high. That’s the reason for the larger size. I have used 12×15 with success. I would not use a 13×9. The molds are roughly 3” in diameter.

      Reply

  5. This recipe is confusing. You say to bloom gelatin in the mousse step but never mention it again. I assumed you meant for it to go into the mix so I added it, but the recipe just forgets about it entirely.

    Also, are you sure you mean 1 1/4 cup cream whipped or did you mean 1 1/4 cup whipped cream? Because whipping 1 1/4 cup cream makes a ton of whipped cream and there’s way more than enough for 6 domes and the yuzu gets diluted.

    After the glaze, there should be a mention of how long to let it sit before serving. I’m guessing at least 2 hours so it isn’t frozen solid.

    Reply

  6. I am almost finished this dessert, serving it tomorrow. Can you please advise if this dessert is meant to be served frozen or just to get the layers to set?

    Reply

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