What a Sweet Heart

Coeur a la Creme is a classic Valentine’s Day dessert. Preparation is easy, but it requires a heart-shaped perforated mold with low “feet” around the outer bottom edge so the contents are raised just enough to drain. (Ceramic or metal molds may be purchased in cookware stores, housewares sections of department stores and some specialty food stores.)

You make the creamy dessert by pressing cottage cheese through a fine sieve (Step 1), then using an electric mixer or rotary beater to blend it with softened cream cheese and a little salt. When the mixture is as smooth as possible, substitute a wooden spoon for the mixer and beat in whipping cream, a small amount at a time (Step 2).

Cut a square of double-thickness cheesecloth several inches larger than the mold, rinse it under cold water and squeeze out until almost dry. Use this cloth to line the mold (Step 3), allowing the edges to overhang the sides and smoothing out as many wrinkles as possible.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the mold (Step 4), then cover the top by folding in the overhanging cheesecloth (Step 5). Place the mold in a baking dish deep enough to accommodate the 1/4 cup or so of whey that will drain from the cheese mixture.

Cover the dish loosely with foil and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Check the mold after a few hours and drain off the whey that has accumulated (Step 6).

To serve, uncover the top of the mold and invert the Coeur a la Creme onto a serving platter. Remove the mold and cheesecloth (Step 7), then garnish the dessert with whole strawberries.

Additional strawberries may be pureed or mashed and sweetened to taste and served as a sauce for the dessert. The cheese mixture is very perishable; however, any leftover is terrific spread on bagels the next morning.

COEUR A LA CREME

1 (16-ounce) carton cottage cheese

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups whipping cream

1 to 2 quarts strawberries

Sugar, optional

Press cottage cheese through fine sieve. Combine with cream cheese and salt and beat with electric mixer until smooth. Using wooden spoon, beat cream into cheese mixture small amount at time.

Line 1 1/2-quart heart-shaped perforated mold with double layer of cheesecloth that has been rinsed with cold water and squeezed out. Allow edges of cheesecloth to overhang sides of mold and smooth out as many wrinkles as possible.

Spoon cheese mixture into mold. Cover top of mixture with overhanging ends of cheesecloth and place mold in baking dish deep enough to accommodate draining whey. Cover dish loosely with foil and refrigerate overnight, occasionally pouring off drained whey.

Uncover top of mold and invert onto serving platter. Remove mold and cheesecloth. Garnish with strawberries. Puree remaining strawberries, sweeten to taste with sugar and serve as sauce. Makes 8 servings.

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