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Strawberry Coeur à la Crème is a Swoonworthy Valentine’s Dessert

Strawberry Coeur à la Crème on a plate
Flavour Network
Prep Time
6h 30 min
Yields
6 servings

Coeur à la crème is a dessert that looks and sounds fancy but really couldn’t be simpler. Easy to prepare in advance, this stunning creamy white heart against a vibrant strawberry coulis will wow your valentine! “Coeur à la crème” literally means “creamy heart” hence the heart-shaped moulds used in this recipe. Traditionally made with fresh farmer’s cheese, this dessert sits overnight in the fridge to set. Cheesecloth holds the crème together and it unmolds beautifully the next day. Can’t get hold of those special moulds? It’s no less delicious in a plain ramekin, simply spoon the coulis on top!

Note: You can use a stand mixer but unless you have multiple bowls you’ll find yourself having to scoop the ingredient you’ve just worked with into another bowl while you use the mixer for the next ingredient. If you are using a stand mixer, you’ll need the whisk attachment for the cream and the paddle attachment for the cream cheese/ icing sugar.

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ingredients

For the cœur à la crème:

1
cup heavy (35%) cream
250g
brick-style cream cheese, room temperature
½
cup smooth ricotta cheese (or smooth cottage cheese)
¼
cup icing sugar, sifted
1
teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the strawberry coulis:

454g
strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
½
cup granulated sugar
1
Tbsp lemon juice

Special equipment:

6
x 125mL heart-shaped molds
Cheesecloth
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directions

Ingredients for Strawberry Coeur à la Crème
Step 1

Make the coulis: Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil.

Step 2

Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strawberries are very soft.

Step 3

Remove pot from heat and cool the strawberry mixture for approximately 10 minutes (you can transfer the mixture to a clean bowl to speed up the cooling process).

Step 4

Use an immersion blender or a mini food processor to blend the strawberry mixture until smooth. Set aside and refrigerate.

Step 5

Make the crème:  Using a hand-held electric beater (see note), whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks (2 minutes on high).

Step 6

In a separate bowl, using the same electric beater (no need to rinse the attachments), beat the cream cheese, ricotta, icing sugar and vanilla together until smooth.

Strawberry coulis, whipped cream, and whipped cream cheese for Strawberry Coeur à la Crème
Step 7

Add the whipped cream, ⅓ at a time to the cream cheese mixture. Fold gently until thoroughly combined.

Step 8

Prepare and fill the heart-shaped moulds:  Line a small baking tray with paper towels.

Step 9

Cut 12 squares of cheesecloth roughly double the size of heart-shaped moulds and dampen them slightly. Squeeze out excess moisture and lay two squares in each mould.

Heart-shaped molds lined with cheesecloth
Step 10

Place a generous spoonful of the crème in each mold and smooth it to the edges. Tap the molds a few times on a countertop to help evenly distribute the mixture.

Step 11

Place a couple of teaspoons of the strawberry coulis on top of the crème and gently smooth over top of the crème.

Strawberry Coeur à la Crème in progress
Step 12

Fill the molds with the rest of the crème mixture, smoothing the mixture and tapping the molds on the countertop again to evenly distribute the mixture.

Strawberry Coeur à la Crème ready to be set in the fridge overnight
Step 13

Fold the overhanging cheesecloth over the top of the crème, loosely covering the entire surface.

Step 14

Cover the top of each mold loosely with plastic wrap and place on the paper towel-lined tray.

Step 15

Place in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.

Step 16

To serve:  To unmold, remove the plastic wrap, open the cheesecloth and place a plate on top of the mould.

Step 17

Flip the plate over so that it’s right side up.

Step 18

Remove the mold then carefully remove the cheesecloth.

Step 19

Carefully pour the coulis around the crème hearts.

Strawberry Coeur à la Crème on a white plate with a bite taken out

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