Description
This Key Lime Pie Mousse recipe offers a delightful twist on the classic dessert by combining a crunchy graham cracker and oat crumble base with a light, tangy mousse made from sweetened condensed milk and fresh key lime juice. Topped with whipped cream and garnished with lime wedges, this no-bake mousse is a refreshing, easy-to-make dessert perfect for warm weather or any time you want a zesty treat.
Ingredients
Crust
- 4 graham crackers
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
Mousse
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Green food coloring (optional)
Garnish
- Key lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Crumble: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Using a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they become fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, mix these crumbs with the rolled oats, light brown sugar, and all-purpose flour. Add the cold, cubed butter, and use your hands to work the butter into the mixture until small pea-sized clumps form and the mixture begins to hold together. Spread this mixture evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake Crumble: Bake the crumble in the preheated oven until golden and crisp, around 20 minutes, stirring halfway through for even baking. Once done, allow it to cool completely.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Reserve about 1 cup of this whipped cream for decorating later.
- Make Key Lime Mousse: In a separate medium bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, freshly squeezed key lime juice, vanilla extract, and a drop of green food coloring if desired. Gently fold this lime mixture into the whipped cream until just combined, keeping the mousse light and airy.
- Assemble Parfaits: In four serving glasses, start by placing about ¼ cup of the cooled crumble at the bottom. Add two large spoonfuls of the mousse on top of the crumble. Repeat with another layer of crumble and mousse.
- Decorate: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip with the reserved whipped cream and pipe decorative swirls over the top of each mousse glass. Sprinkle with any remaining crumble and garnish with a wedge of key lime.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled mousse parfaits until you are ready to serve to keep them chilled and fresh.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the graham crackers for gluten-free crackers or use gluten-free oats.
- If key limes are unavailable, regular limes can be used but flavor will be slightly different.
- Be gentle when folding the mousse mixture to maintain its light and airy texture.
- Make sure the butter is cold when mixing into the crumble to achieve the desired crisp texture after baking.
- This dessert is best served chilled and consumed within 2 days for optimal freshness.
