Chef Nathaniel Spiegel’s airy cheesecake mousse aims to steal the show

Chef Nathaniel Spiegel’s cheesecake mousse combines a delicate pastry cream base, white cheese and soft whipped cream for a dessert that is light, rich and precise. Flavored with vanilla and lemon and finished with caramel toffee and crumble, it is presented as a dessert that is hard to ignore.

The recipe says the mousse looks elaborate but is actually simple to make. Spiegel starts by soaking 2 grams of gelatin in 10 grams of water for at least 10 minutes, then heats milk, 20 grams of 38% cream, vanilla paste and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, he mixes 30 grams of sugar, 45 grams of egg yolks and 10 grams of cornstarch, then cooks the combined mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens like pastry cream.

After straining or blending out lumps, he adds the dissolved gelatin and 100 grams of 9% white cheese, then whisks until smooth. Separately, he whips 100 grams of 38% cream with 20 grams of sugar to soft peaks and folds the two mixtures together gently to keep the airy texture.

The mousse is transferred to serving dishes and chilled for at least four hours. Spiegel is described as a young, promising chef who pays close attention to detail, from the gelatin soak to the final folding of the cream. The article ends with an invitation for readers to send in their results and photos, with one or two winners to receive a couple’s meal from Channel 7’s food desk.