Golden Ratio Shell Layers (Printable)

Visually balanced dessert featuring mousse, sponge, and jelly layers arranged in Golden Ratio spiral.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sponge Layer

01 - 0.42 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 0.3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Fruit Jelly Spiral

07 - 0.46 cup fresh raspberry puree
08 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
09 - 1.4 tsp powdered gelatin
10 - 1.7 tbsp cold water
11 - 1 tsp lemon juice

→ Chocolate Mousse

12 - 6.3 oz dark chocolate (70%), chopped
13 - 0.59 cup heavy cream
14 - 2 large egg yolks
15 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
16 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Glaze

17 - 3.5 oz white chocolate, chopped
18 - 2.7 tbsp heavy cream
19 - Edible gold leaf or gold dust (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9.5 x 6.3 inch baking tray with parchment paper. Whisk eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Sift in flour and salt, fold gently. Incorporate melted butter and vanilla extract. Spread evenly and bake 10–12 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into 8 rectangles approximating 2 x 3.1 inches each.
02 - Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let bloom for 5 minutes. Warm raspberry puree and sugar until heated through. Stir in gelatin and lemon juice until dissolved. Pour into a 6.3 x 6.3 inch tray lined with plastic wrap. Chill until set, then cut into spiral strips starting at 1.2 inch width tapering to 0.7 inches to resemble the Golden Ratio spiral.
03 - Melt dark chocolate over a bain-marie. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Heat cream until steaming; temper yolks by whisking in a small amount of hot cream. Combine tempered yolks with melted chocolate and vanilla, mix well. Cool slightly. Whip remaining cream to soft peaks and gently fold into chocolate mixture.
04 - Place one sponge rectangle as base. Pipe a 1.2 inch layer of mousse over it. Arrange a jelly spiral on top following the Golden Ratio curve. Repeat for all 8 servings.
05 - Melt white chocolate with cream until smooth. Cool slightly, then pour over each assembled dessert. Optionally, decorate with edible gold leaf or dust for refinement.
06 - Refrigerate assembled desserts for at least 2 hours prior to serving to ensure proper set and flavor integration.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in a professional kitchen, but the truth is the structure does most of the work for you
  • Each layer brings something different—the sponge is light, the mousse is rich, the jelly cuts through with fruit brightness, creating a perfect textural conversation
  • Once you understand the technique, you'll find yourself making variations with different fruits and chocolates for months
02 -
  • Temperature control is everything—melted chocolate that's too hot will make your mousse grainy, and cream that isn't chilled enough won't whip to proper peaks
  • The gelatin bloom is non-negotiable; skip it and your jelly becomes weeping and unstable, ruining the entire visual effect you worked so hard to achieve
  • Don't skip the tempering of egg yolks, even though it feels like an extra step; it's the difference between silky mousse and one that's broken and separated
03 -
  • Make your jelly strips the day before and store them between layers of parchment—this gives you one less thing to manage on assembly day and the flavors deepen slightly overnight
  • If you're nervous about the spiral cutting, practice on the first batch of jelly before committing to the actual one; the scraps make delicious snacks and teach your hands the motion
  • Keep everything cold: chill your bowls, your plates, even your hands if you need to—a warm environment is the enemy of this precision dessert
Go Back