Recipe

Coeur a la Creme with Strawberries

Community Pick!

Recipe
No Questions Yet

Photo by MelanieEinzig

Chef
merrill's Notes: In 1976, as a relatively new bride, my mother (Veronica) signed up for a series of cooking classes run by a local cookware store near my parents' house in Connecticut. Up until that point...
In 1976, as a relatively new bride, my mother (Veronica) signed up for a series of cooking classes run by a local cookware store near my parents' house in Connecticut. Up until that point, she'd taught herself pretty much everything she knew about cooking, by experimenting with recipes from her subscription to Gourmet and various cookbooks. But she had never really learned the basics. So, off she went for 3 hours every Wednesday afternoon, to master soups, baking and -- most importantly -- the art of the Cold Buffet.

My mother felt much more confident after these classes, and she's been a great cook ever since. As she put it, the classes "opened the door" to a whole new world of improvisation in the kitchen. One of the dishes she learned in the Cold Buffet class in particular stuck with her: a coeur a la creme with strawberries, which she made frequently for Easter while I was growing up. Several years ago, she gave me the recipe, and I now make it regularly. This year, my mother made a coeur a la creme and brought it when she and my father came to our apartment for Easter dinner. We sat around the table, filling our spoons with drifts of the snowy white, barely sweet dessert, and life was good.

Expand Collapse

Serves 6 to 8

8 ounces ricotta Ask a question about this ingredient

8 ounces cream cheese Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup heavy cream, chilled Ask a question about this ingredient

2 large egg whites, at room temperature Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pint fresh strawberries Ask a question about this ingredient

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

Line a 6-cup mold or 6 to 8 smaller molds with holes in the bottom (you can buy a special, heart-shaped coeur a la creme molds if you're into that sort of thing -- which I am, as you can see from the photo above), a basket or a colander with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, making sure you cut the cheesecloth large enough that it hangs over the edges of the mold.
Ask a question about this step
Put the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix, scraping down the bowl a few times, until there are no longer any lumps. Add the sugar and vanilla and pulse until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
Ask a question about this step
In a separate bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the cheese. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Spoon the mixture into the mold, smoothing the top gently. Fold the cheesecloth over the top to cover completely. Set the mold on a tray and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
Ask a question about this step
An hour or two before you are ready for dessert, hull and quarter the strawberries and put them in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of sugar (the amount will depend on how sweet your strawberries are). Cover and let the berries macerate until ready to serve. Unmold the coeur a la creme and serve with the strawberries.
Ask a question about this step

8 Comments on Coeur a la Creme with Strawberries

1natalplum added 3 months ago

In the 80's I worked at a french restaurant in Carmel, CA that served this. I liked it so much I bought 4 molds. Haven't made it for years, since I lost the recipe. This recipe looks even better than my lost one. Thanks for reminding me of how great this is!

PistachioDoughnut added 4 months ago

Hi Merrill, Thanks for this recipe. I made this on our first wedding anniversary to give a small surprise to my husband, he loved it .. I had served these with some blueberries and strawberries and some chocolate sauce. I too liked it, but personally cream cheese is not my favorite. Can I substitute any other form of cheese may be mascarpone. Will it give the same results.

ChefJune added 11 months ago

aaaah, Merrill! This is one of the most romantic desserts. And it can be made completely ahead of time, in fact, it has to be! I like it with a raspberry sauce, too. Around Valentine's Day, when fresh berries are hard as rocks, pushing frozen raspberries through a tamis yields lovely stuff for a sauce. ;)

Merrill is a co-founder of food52.

added 11 months ago

I love it with raspberry sauce too!

Waverly added about 1 year ago

I've been looking for something simple but interesting to do with the beautiful strawberries I bought today. This looks perfect. Thank you.

Margy@hidethecheese added over 2 years ago

I made this with my children for my Mother's Day dessert and it was excellent! I posted some pictures of them in action on my site: www.hidethecheese.com.