Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Mousse Cake (Print Version)

A refreshing layered dessert with creamy lemon mousse, vibrant blueberry compote, and buttery shortbread base.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 cup powdered sugar
03 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Lemon Mousse

05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons
08 - 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon gelatin powder
10 - 2 tablespoons water
11 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

→ Blueberry Compote

12 - 2 cups fresh blueberries
13 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, butter, and salt. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and set. Allow to cool completely.
04 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine blueberries, 0.25 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries burst and mixture thickens, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
05 - In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water and let bloom for 5 minutes.
06 - In a small saucepan, combine lemon juice and gelatin mixture. Heat gently, stirring, until gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.
07 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 0.5 cup granulated sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
08 - In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
09 - Gradually beat the cooled gelatin-lemon mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream until fully incorporated.
10 - Spread half the lemon mousse over the cooled crust. Spoon half the blueberry compote over the mousse and gently swirl. Top with remaining mousse and swirl the rest of the compote on top.
11 - Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
12 - Serve chilled, garnished with additional fresh berries or whipped cream if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's the kind of dessert that photographs beautifully without any fussing, which means you can actually enjoy making it instead of stressing over presentation.
  • The flavors balance each other perfectly—creamy, tart, sweet, and buttery all at once, so no single note overpowers the plate.
  • You can make it a full day ahead and just pull it from the fridge when guests arrive, which is the closest thing to magic in entertaining.
02 -
  • If your gelatin looks grainy or stringy when you fold it in, it wasn't fully dissolved or cooled enough—warm it gently again and let it come to room temperature before trying again.
  • The springform pan is essential because trying to turn this cake out onto a plate ends in chaos; keep it in the pan and just release the sides when you're ready to serve.
03 -
  • Chill all your bowls and beaters before whipping cream—even five minutes in the freezer makes the cream whip faster and hold its peaks longer.
  • Make the compote first and let it cool while you handle the other components; this prevents any warm fruit from melting your mousse when it's time to layer.
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