Strawberry-Basil-Mint Mousse

In the Old Port of Montreal, there is a gelato shop that serves strawberry basil mint ice cream. We've been going there every summer for this unique and outstanding ice cream. I've been making all sorts of mousses lately, and remembered this ice cream, and thought it might make a good mousse. I was not wrong. The amount of sugar used is about right for sweetened berries. If you have unsweetened berries, you may want to add more sugar, depending on your tastes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  egg whites
• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1 -1 1⁄2 cup  frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed from frozen
• 2 -3  teaspoons gelatin powder
•  of fresh mint
•  fresh basil

Directions

1. In a small pot, heat the strawberries and syrup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the strawberries and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Put egg whites in a medium sized bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
3. In a separate larger bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
4. Place the cooled strawberry mixture in a blender and blend. Add about 10 mint leaves and 10 basil leaves and blend. Adjust to taste.
5. Pour half the strawberry/herb mixture and half the egg whites into the whipped cream and fold together. Pour the rest of the strawberries and egg whites in and fold.
6. Ladle the mousse into serving dishes and chill before serving, about one hour. A mint leaf makes a nice garnish.