This dessert may come together quickly, but it feels like a true celebration in a bowl. Silky white chocolate folds into yogurt and cream cheese for a mousse that’s rich, velvety, and wonderfully indulgent. The apricots—steeped in their fragrant whisky syrup—cut beautifully through the sweetness, while tiny jewels of stem ginger bring a gentle festive heat. Layered with soft sponge fingers and crisp meringue, every spoonful offers contrast and comfort in perfect balance. It is rich, so a small portion is all you need… though many will come back for seconds. And if time is short, shop-bought meringues work perfectly, making this showstopping dessert even easier to assemble.
Ingredients (serves 12)
- 350g white chocolate pellets (or bar finely chopped)
- 500ml double cream
- 350g Greek yogurt
- 1 tub of cream cheese, 280g
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 meringue nests, crushed (approx. 50g)
- 1 jar or Opies apricots in Famous Grouse
- 5 pieces of Opies stem ginger, cut in very small dice (brunoise), and extra for the topping
- 1 ½ packet sponge fingers, 300g
For the Chantilly cream
- 300ml double cream
- 25g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate curls
- 150g white chocolate
Method
Start by making the chocolate curls. Warm a small baking sheet so that it just enough to feel warm to the touch. Melt 100g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 50g. Pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet and shake the sheet so that the chocolate spreads as thinly as possible. Place in the fridge and check every 30 seconds till it is not sticky to the touch but not too hard either as it will be too brittle for curling. Ran a knife or a parmesan shaver across the bottom of the tin to make the chocolate curls. Keep the curls cool till needed.
Using the same bowl and method melt the 350g of chocolate. Add the cream cheese and yogurt and whisk to incorporate.
In another clean bowl, whisk with an electric mixer the double cream with the vanilla extract to soft peaks. Using a spatula fold into the chocolate, cheese and yogurt mix. Finally, add the ginger pieces to the chocolate mousse.
For the Chantilly cream, whisk the whipping cream with the icing sugar and vanilla extract to a soft peak stage. Cover and leave in the fridge till needed.
Use a strainer to separate the apricots from their syrup. Chop the apricots into dice.
Line the bottom of a glass bowl with a row of sponge fingers. With a spoon, drizzle with some of the syrup. Top with a few apricot pieces and 1/3 of the chocolate mousse. Top with the crushed meringue and add another third of the chocolate mousse. Top with more sponge fingers, drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with more apricot pieces. Finish with the remaining chocolate mousse and apricot pieces. Finish with the Chantilly cream. Decorate with the chocolate curls and add more stem ginger very finely sliced into thin strips.
