The first garden strawberry was grown in Brittany, France during the late 18th century. Prior to this, wild strawberries and cultivated selections from wild strawberry species were the common source of the fruit.
The strawberry fruit was mentioned in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use. The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 14th century. Charles V, France’s king from 1364 to 1380, had 1,200 strawberry plants in his royal garden. In the early 15th century western European monks were using the wild strawberry in their illuminated manuscripts. The strawberry is found in Italian, Flemish, and German art, and in English miniatures. The entire strawberry plant was used to treat depressive illnesses.
By the 16th century, references of cultivation of the strawberry became more common. People began using it for its supposed medicinal properties and botanists began naming the different species. In England the demand for regular strawberry farming had increased by the mid-16th century.
The combination of strawberries and cream was created by Thomas Wolsey in the court of King Henry VIII. Instructions for growing and harvesting strawberries showed up in writing in 1578. From then on strawberries started to spread and their production increased over the years. In Greece there is a special area in the southern part in Peloponnese Peninsula where the largest production of strawberries takes place.
As I have said many times in the past, I am a notorious chocoholic. It is impossible for me to pass by one day without a small piece of chocolate in my diet. And although, I love chocolate that much, I cannot say the same thing about white chocolate. White chocolate is not exactly a chocolate, since it is made from the cocoa butter and not the cocoa bean itself. Also, the taste is completely different and too sweet for my taste. So, I really don’t eat white chocolate at all. I cannot say the same thing about my husband who loves white chocolate as much as I love the original one.
So, how come and I made a white chocolate mousse, you would ask! Well, eating white chocolate and eating white chocolate mousse are two totally different things. While white chocolate per se shows absolutely no interest, white chocolate mousse has a beautiful texture and a delicious flavor. The creamy mousse is absolutely heavenly and believe me if I say so it sure is. The sweet mousse matches perfectly with the somewhat sour flavor of the strawberries and I dare say that they taste better with the white chocolate mousse than with the real chocolate. Do try it. It is an easy, very elegant dessert that you can prepare in advance by making the mousse couple of days before and fill the strawberries the moment you serve them. It is also great for gatherings and buffets, because you can make the preparations even two days prior to the event.
- 100 gr. / 3.5 oz. fresh milk 3,5% fat
- 186 gr. / 6.5 oz. white chocolate
- 5 gr. / 1 tsp gelatin
- 200 gr. / 7 oz. heavy cream 35% fat
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 strawberries
- Place gelatin in cold water to soak.
- Place milk and chocolate to microwave until melted.
- In your stand mixer whip the cream until it becomes like yogurt.
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Drain the gelatin and add it to the milk/chocolate batter and whisk to incorporate.
- When chocolate has cooled a bit, add it to the whipped cream and with cyclical moves incorporate it.
- Put in the fridge.
- 100 γρ. φρέσκο γάλα 3,5% λιπαρά
- 186 γρ. λευκή σοκολάτα
- 5 γρ. ζελατίνη
- 200 γρ. κρέμα γάλακτος 35% λιπαρά
- 1 κ.γ. εκχύλισμα βανίλιας
- 30 φράουλες
- Βάλτε την ζελατίνη σε ¼ φλ. κρύο νερό να μουλιάσει.
- Βάλτε το γάλα και τη σοκολάτα στο φούρνο μικροκυμάτων μέχρι να λιώσει.
- Στο μίξερ σας χτυπήστε τη κρέμα γάλακτος μέχρι να γίνει σαν γιαούρτι.
- Προσθέστε το εκχύλισμα βανίλιας.
- Στραγγίστε τη ζελατίνη και προσθέστε τη στο μείγμα σοκολάτας γάλακτος/και συνεχίστε το ανακάτεμα.
- Όταν η σοκολάτα έχει κρυώσει λίγο, προσθέστε τη στη σαντιγί και με κυκλικές κινήσεις ενσωματώστε.
- Βάλτε στο ψυγείο.
