Anna Louise Salmon mousse is one of the most elegant make-ahead starters in this collection. It is made the day before, set overnight in individual ramekins or a large mould, unmoulded before the guests arrive, and served cold at the table looking completely beautiful, surrounded by thinly sliced cucumber and served with brown bread.
It is a starter that requires almost no last-minute work — which is its great practical advantage — and that looks and tastes considerably more impressive than the effort involved.
The flavour is delicate, slightly smoky from the smoked salmon, slightly sharp from the cream cheese and lemon, and completely satisfying in a way that few cold starters achieve.
Mary Berry has served salmon mousse at countless dinner parties and it appears in several of her cookbooks as one of her reliable, elegant solutions for a large gathering where a hot starter is impractical.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Salmon Mousse
For the Mousse (Serves 6–8)
- 300g smoked salmon — good quality
- 200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 150ml double cream, cold
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine — dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water then heated to dissolve fully
- Juice of 1 large lemon — about 4 tbsp
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped — plus extra to decorate
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Tabasco — 3 to 4 drops, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
To Serve
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- Brown bread or Melba toast
- Extra fresh dill sprigs
- Lemon wedges
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
How to Make Mary Berry Salmon Mousse
Step 1 — Dissolve the Gelatine
Place the three tablespoons of cold water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the powdered gelatine over the surface. Leave for two minutes — the gelatine will absorb the water and form a spongy mass. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir gently until the gelatine has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Do not let it boil. Remove and leave to cool slightly — it must still be liquid but not hot when it goes into the mousse.
Step 2 — Blend the Salmon and Cream Cheese
Place the smoked salmon, room-temperature cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth — two to three minutes. The mixture should be a uniform, pale pink purée with no visible pieces of salmon.
Taste carefully — the seasoning should be clear, slightly sharp from the lemon, and well-seasoned with salt and white pepper. Smoked salmon is salty so add salt cautiously.
Add the fresh dill and chives. Pulse briefly to incorporate — do not blend smooth, the herbs should be visible as small flecks in the pink mousse.
Step 3 — Add the Gelatine
With the food processor running, pour the warm dissolved gelatine through the feed tube in a thin, steady stream. Blend briefly until incorporated.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Step 4 — Fold in the Cream
Whip the cold double cream to soft peaks — billowy and holding a gentle shape. Fold into the salmon mixture in two additions using a large spatula and gentle folding motions. Stop the moment no white streaks remain.
Taste one final time and adjust seasoning.
Step 5 — Set the Mousse
Lightly oil six to eight individual ramekins or dariole moulds with a flavourless oil — or pour the mousse into one large 1 litre mould. Spoon the mousse in, filling each ramekin or mould to within 5mm of the top. Tap gently on the counter to remove any air pockets. Smooth the surface.
Cover with cling film — pressing directly onto the surface of the mousse to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate for at least six hours — overnight is better.
Step 6 — Unmould and Serve
Run a thin palette knife carefully around the edge of each ramekin. Dip the base of each ramekin briefly in a bowl of hot water — three to four seconds — then invert onto a serving plate. The mousse should release cleanly. If it does not, dip for another two seconds and try again.
Decorate with a small sprig of fresh dill. Arrange thinly sliced cucumber around the base. Serve with brown bread or Melba toast and lemon wedges alongside.
My Top Tips For Perfect Salmon Mousse
Use good quality smoked salmon. The smoked salmon is the primary flavour — its quality is directly reflected in the finished mousse. Good quality, properly smoked salmon gives a complex, slightly smoky, slightly sweet flavour. Cheap smoked salmon gives a flat, slightly artificial result.
Dissolve the gelatine completely before adding. Undissolved gelatine granules give small, hard specks throughout the mousse and uneven setting. The liquid should be completely clear before it goes into the processor.
The gelatine must be warm but not hot when added. Hot gelatine can partially cook the cream cheese and give a slightly grainy result. Warm — cool enough to touch without discomfort — is the right temperature.
Fold the cream gently — do not stir. The lightness of the mousse comes from the air in the whipped cream. Stirring rather than folding deflates it and gives a denser result.
Oil the moulds lightly. A very light coating of flavourless oil helps the mousse release cleanly when inverted. Too much oil gives a slightly greasy surface to the unmoulded mousse. A wipe around the inside of each ramekin with a piece of oil-dampened kitchen paper is exactly the right amount.
Serving Suggestions
As an elegant dinner party starter — unmoulded on individual plates with cucumber and brown bread. As part of a cold buffet spread. At a summer lunch in the garden. With Melba toast — the crispy, light toast is the ideal vehicle for the delicate mousse.
How to Store
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 2 days before unmoulding. Once unmoulded, serve within two hours.
Freezing is not recommended — gelatine-set mousses become watery and grainy when frozen and defrosted.
Try These Recipes
- Mary Berry Salmon In Filo Pastry
- Mary Berry Asparagus Quiche
- Mary Berry Leek And Stilton Quiche
- Mary Berry Chicken And Herb Casserole
Mary Berry Salmon Mousse Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Dissolve gelatine — sprinkle over 3 tbsp cold water. Leave 2 minutes. Set over barely simmering water — stir until completely clear. Cool until warm but not hot.
- Blend smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco until completely smooth — 2–3 minutes. Season carefully with salt and white pepper. Add dill and chives — pulse briefly to incorporate as visible flecks.
- With processor running — add warm dissolved gelatine in a thin steady stream. Blend briefly. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into salmon mixture in two additions — gently, until just combined. Taste and adjust.
- Lightly oil ramekins or mould. Spoon mousse in — fill to within 5mm of top. Tap gently to remove air pockets. Smooth. Press cling film directly onto surface. Refrigerate 6 hours minimum — overnight ideal.
- Run palette knife around edge. Dip base in hot water 3–4 seconds. Invert onto serving plate. Decorate with dill sprig. Arrange cucumber. Serve with brown bread and lemon wedges.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use tinned salmon instead of smoked?
Yes — very well-drained tinned pink salmon gives a more delicately flavoured, slightly less smoky mousse. The colour is slightly paler. It is good but noticeably different in character from the smoked salmon version.
Can I use leaf gelatine instead of powdered?
Yes — use 3 leaves of gelatine. Soak in cold water for five minutes until softened. Squeeze out the water. Dissolve in the warm lemon juice from the recipe rather than water.
Can I make this in a large mould instead of individual ramekins?
Yes — a 1 litre jelly mould gives a dramatic centrepiece presentation. Unmould onto a platter and garnish generously with cucumber, dill, and lemon.
Can I add horseradish?
Yes — one teaspoon of creamed horseradish added with the cream cheese gives a pleasant warmth that suits smoked salmon beautifully.
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