Coeur à la Crème with Raspberry Sauce


The Inn at Little Washington
Cookbook: A Consuming Passion
by Patrick O'Connell, 1996, Random House

“Coeur à la Crème is an old French concoction that is both earthy and elegant, rustic and dressy — appropriate for any occasion. It's a wonderful complement
to whatever summer berries are in season. This dessert is served at The Inn to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. It can be made in less than five minutes
and never fails to knock em' out — even more so than an elaborate cake that
took two days to execute.
One large (16-ounce) or four individual (4-ounce) perforated heart-shaped
ceramic molds lined with cheesecloth will be needed to create this dessert.
The perforated molds allow the excess liquid, or whey, to drip through the
cheesecloth, leaving the delicious 'heart' of the cream. Coeur à la crème
molds are usually available at kitchen supply stores.”

Serves 4

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

For raspberry sauce
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Garnishes
Fresh raspberries
Mint leaves

1. Cut a piece of cheesecloth into four 6-inch squares. Dampen and wring
out lightly. Press one square into each of four perforated heart-shaped
ceramic molds and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone cheese, 1/4 cup
of the cream, the vanilla, the 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the
Chambord until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate.
3. In a small bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cream and the confectioners' sugar until the cream forms stiff peaks.
4. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chilled cheese mixture in three  batches.
5. Spoon the finished mixture into the prepared molds and fold the edges
of the cheesecloth over the tops. Lightly tap at the bottoms of the molds
on the counter to remove and air spaces between the mixture and the
molds. Refrigerate on a tray or baking sheet a minimum of 2 to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, make raspberry sauce:
In a blender or food processor, purée the raspberries, granulated sugar
and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste the sauce for sweetness and adjust
the sugar or lemon juice as needed. Strain and refrigerate.

To serve:
1. Unfold the cheesecloth and drape it over the sides of the molds. Invert
each mold onto a serving plate. While pressing down on the corners
of the cheesecloth carefully lift off the mold. Smooth the top with the
back of a spoon and remove the cheesecloth slowly.
2. Spoon raspberry sauce onto the plate around the heart and garnish
with fresh berries and mint leaves.

Featured Archive Recipes:
Chocolate Coeur à la Crème
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Raspberry Mousse (Chocolatier)