Easy Summertime Strawberry Mousse Dessert

Summertime is berry time, and strawberries are some of my favorite summer berries. I love to whip up this delicious, easy strawberry mousse dessert for a summer treat.

Table of Contents

No Bake Strawberry Trifle

No bake desserts are best for hot summer days and this one is cool, and refreshing served straight from the refrigerator.

No cooking, no baking, only cleaning up. Oh, and you do have to boil some water to make the jello or jelly or gelatin (whatever you call the wiggly, jiggly stuff). Luckily, I'm an expert at putting the kettle on, being an Irish tea drinker.

Now, this strawberry gelatine dessert with a mousse and cream layer is definitely not one from my Irish mother's recipe collection. This is a recipe I learned from my aunt, who moved to the United States from Ireland in the 1940's.

I visited her from Ireland long, long ago, in 1986, before I ever finished college in Ireland, and one of the recipes I remember from that summer is this smooth and delicious layered strawberry trifle.

I was amazed how quick and easy it was to make this lovely dessert. I was more accustomed to more a complicated berry mousse recipe.

Ingredients for Easy Strawberry Mousse Trifle

You'll find exact quantities in the printable recipe below.

• strawberry gelatin powder
• Boiling water per gelatin packet directions
• frozen strawberries
• frozen whipped cream topping (Truwhip or Coolwhip).
• Fresh strawberries to decorate

Directions For Easy Strawberry Mousse Layer Dessert

Here you'll find step-by-step photographic instructions to help you assemble this delicious layered trifle dessert.

Halve the frozen strawberries and place them in the bottom of a large trifle bowl. Cutting the strawberries isn't absolutely necessary, but little ones find it difficult to eat if the strawberries are too big.

Fresh strawberries work just fine too, but the great advantage with frozen strawberries is that the gelatine sets really quickly.

Make one packet of strawberry gelatin, using ¼ cup less boiling water than the package directs. This is a little trick I discovered over years of making this trifle.

Frozen strawberries add extra liquid to the gelatin layer, and when you use the full amount of water this layer can get a little too jiggly. For nicely set jelly (as we say in Ireland) or jello (as we say in America), simply use a little less boiling water.

You can use any brand of gelatin dessert you wish. Jello works wonderfully. I choose a mix with no Red 40 food dye, since one of my kiddos is very sensitive this to food coloring.

Pour the gelatin over the strawberries in the bowl.

Place the bowl in the fridge and allow this layer to set.

Thaw the frozen whipped cream in the refrigerator according to the directions on the packet.

Next make up the second strawberry gelatin dessert packet with the amount of boiling water called for on the package.

Let it stand for about 30 minutes to cool. Do not let it completely set to form a gel. You should still be able to pour it.

Now it's time to make the easiest ever strawberry mousse layer. In a mixing bowl, simply combine the room temperature gelatin with one of the tubs of frozen cream topping.

Spread the mousse layer on top of the strawberry and gelatin layer.

Let it set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Then, simply add the last tub of whipped cream topping over the mousse.

Voilà, you have a lovely layered summer strawberry trifle.

It couldn't be easier.

Use hulled and sliced fresh strawberries to decorate the top. This dessert will steal the show at any potluck, or even at a fancy dinner. No need to confess you really only had to boil the kettle to pull this one off.

I make a raspberry version of this dessert too. Simply substitute raspberry gelatine, and frozen raspberries for the strawberries, and you have a true crowd pleasing treat.

In fact the sky's the limit. I wonder how it would look in green, white and orange layers for St. Patrick's Day. I may have to do some recipe testing .....

Recipe Card for Strawberry Mousse Dessert

Here's the printable recipe card.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this strawberry trifle - it may not be Irish, but it was a firm favorite with my Irish American aunt, and one that brings back lovely memories of a glorious American summer in the 1980's.

It's hard to believe the desserts of my childhood and teenage years are now considered vintage recipes. As a child of the 60's, I still love these quick and easy, throw-it-together-in-double-quick-time dishes from the 70's and 80's. And not only were they simple to make, they tasted delicious too.

Wishing everyone happy summer days, full of cool treats and sweets.

If you're a fan of no-bake desserts why not check out some of my other favorite sweet treats that are easy to make...

Easy Vegan Raspberry Cheesecakes

Banoffee Pie

Irish Whiskey Chocolate Mousse Pie

Berry Irish Cream Mousse

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Summer Pudding

Eton Mess

Thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.

Here are some other recipes you might enjoy...

Raspberry and Cream Chocolate Roulade

Summer Pudding

Blueberry Scones