1. A quenelle is a decorative oval shape formed by using 2 spoons, usually made using soft ingredients such as ice creams, creams or mousses.

2. The size of spoon will determine how big the quenelle is, but make sure to always use two spoons of the same size.

What to read next

3. Hold a spoon in each hand. Scoop a generous amount of mixture into one spoon. Gently curve second spoon towards you, pressing bowl of spoon against mixture and scooping it into second spoon as you go.

4. Transfer mixture back to first spoon in same manner. You will start to see that it develops a smooth surface from where the spoon has scooped it. Keep scooping back and forth until a smooth oval shape is achieved.

Use your skills to make these triple-tested recipes:
Pink champagne jellies recipe
Spinach soup recipe
Luscious lemon passion pots recipe

Loft 24-piece dinner set, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Classic glass bowl (1 / 2 litres), Pyrex. Small while plate, chef's own.

Headshot of The Good Housekeeping Cookery Team

An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).