Double-strength lemon mousse will brighten spring

The striver promises to give it his all. More: 110 percent. He pledges himself to effort. More: to redouble that effort. Leading us off-message, distracted by brawny syntax.

This undercount is unfair. It's a rebuff of "re." It's a wrong we vow to right. We are printing up double-sided placards in support of a quadruple-strength redouble. We plan to hoist them at the next convention of the Modern Language Association.

Should that campaign fail, we'll focus on local change -- like doubling up on double-strength lemon mousse. A bowl of sunny citrus folded into soft cream bolsters household approval ratings -- fourfold.

LEMON MOUSSE

6 lemons (approximately)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 eggs

1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh berries

1. Squeeze: Zest 2 lemons into a large heavy saucepan. Squeeze all lemons and measure out 3/4 cup juice; pour into the pan. Whisk in 3/4 cup sugar, the eggs and butter.

2. Thicken: Set pan over medium heat and whisk until thick, 5-6 minutes. Press this tart lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.

3. Chill: Let cool. Cover and chill.

4. Whip: Use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a handheld whisk and muscle) to whip cream, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla to sturdy peaks. Pour in chilled lemon curd and whip briefly to combine.

5. Serve: This pale yellow mousse is lovely heaped into small glass bowls and topped with fresh berries.

Makes 8 servings.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Double-strength lemon mousse will brighten spring ."