By The Fourth of July. Ryan had the day off, which almost never happens for a holiday, and we took the twins to Steve and Patty's for a cookout with Matt up from Springfield and the neighbors from next door who have been the neighbors from next door since before I was born. Steve grilled. Matt brought a case of beer and a watermelon. The backyard smelled like charcoal and cut grass and it was ninety-one degrees and beautiful.
Owen wore a tiny American flag onesie that Patty bought and held up with the particular pride of someone who has been waiting for a grandchild to wear a tiny American flag onesie. Nora wore the matching one and spent most of the afternoon being held by various adults who found reasons to hold her because she is, objectively, very good to hold. She has that quality some babies have of being the exact right weight and warmth when you pick them up, like the world is briefly calibrated correctly.
Matt held both babies at once, one in each arm, with the confidence of a man who coaches twelve-year-olds and therefore has no fear of small humans. He talked to them like they were already people, which they are, which more adults should remember. He told Owen about the last Cubs game he went to and Owen made a sound of apparent interest. Whether Owen was interested in the Cubs or in the sound of Matt's voice is unclear. Probably the latter. Matt has a good voice for storytelling.
We watched the neighborhood fireworks from the backyard and Owen slept through them and Nora watched with her full, considering gaze and did not appear frightened, which I am filing under: early evidence of character. Ryan held my hand the whole time. We ate hot dogs and watermelon and corn and Patty's coleslaw and it was the most ordinary Fourth of July and it was exactly what I needed it to be.
We didn’t do anything fancy for dessert that day — the watermelon was honestly enough — but when I got home and the twins were finally down and Ryan was watching whatever game was on, I kept thinking about something cool and sweet and easy, the kind of thing that doesn’t require you to turn on the oven in ninety-degree weather or think too hard after a day that was already full in all the right ways. This strawberry cheesecake mousse is that thing. It’s light and a little celebratory and it comes together fast, which is exactly what you need when the holiday has already done all the heavy lifting.
Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour chilling | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, plus extra for garnish
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Graham cracker crumbles, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Macerate the strawberries. Combine sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in a bowl. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until the berries release their juices. Mash roughly with a fork, leaving some texture, or pulse briefly in a blender for a smoother puree.
- Beat the cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the strawberry mixture until fully combined.
- Whip the cream. In a separate chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Fold together. Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry cream cheese mixture in two additions, using a rubber spatula and folding from the bottom up to keep the mousse light and airy.
- Chill and serve. Spoon the mousse into individual glasses or bowls. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Before serving, top with fresh strawberry slices and graham cracker crumbles if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 140mg