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Recipe: Coeur a la Crème – An Elegant Valentine’s Dessert Recipe

February 12, 2014

Coeur a la Crème (pronounced “KEWR ah la KREHM”) is an elegant end to your romantic Valentine’s Day meal. The dessert is known as a “cheese heart” and is traditionally served with berries. Academe’s pastry chef, Shanna O’Hea shares her recipe for this most romantic of Valentine’s desserts.

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Coeur a la Crème - An Elegant Valentine's Dessert Recipe
Author:
Cuisine: French
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 16
Ingredients
"Cream Hearts" Ingredients
  • 1 pound - Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon - Sugar
  • ½ cup - Cream
  • ⅛ cup - Milk
  • 5 each - Gelatin Sheets
  • 1½ cup - Heavy Cream, whipped
  • ½ tablespoon - Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon - Vanilla
Berry Coulis Ingredients
  • 1 quart - Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries (can also be a mixture of any or all berries)
  • ¼ cup - Grenadine (substitution simple syrup equal parts sugar and water, boiled until sugar dissolves)
  • 1 each - Lime, juiced
Instructions
Method - Cream Hearts
  1. Use either silicone heart molds or heart cookie cutters. Cut cheesecloth into four-inch squares and place in each heart mold, one inch of cheesecloth should overlay mold. Reserve on sheet tray.
  2. Place gelatin sheets in dish with enough room temperature water to cover, let soften. (Substitution Knox gelatin powder, 1 packet diluted in room temperature water)
  3. Add 1½ cup heavy cream in kitchen aid bowl with whisk, whip until stiff peaks. Add sugar and vanilla and slowly blend. Reserve in refrigerator.
  4. Place cream cheese and sugar in kitchen aid with paddle attachment, blend until smooth 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add ½ cup cream and milk until smooth
  6. Add softened gelatin sheets to cream cheese mixture, blend until incorporated
  7. Fold in reserved whip cream mixture with rubber spatula by hand, until just incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
  8. Spoon into cheesecloth lined heart molds, wrap remainder of cheese cloth on top and refrigerate to set for at least 2-4 hours or up to overnight
Method - Berry Coulis
  1. Clean berries, half strawberries
  2. Place berries in blender with grenadine and lime juice, blend until smooth
  3. Strain through fine sieve to remove seeds, discard seeds, refrigerate
Plating Instructions
  1. Remove hearts from mold and invert on plate, peel off cheesecloth. Spoon coulis over heart or put in squeeze bottle and drizzle over top. Can serve with fresh berries or chiffonade of fresh mint, or grate chocolate over the top.

Please join us at the Kennebunk Inn and celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart. You can make a reservation by calling us at (207) 985-3351.

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About The Kennebunk Inn

The Chefs/Owners of The Kennebunk Inn and its restaurant, Academe Maine Brasserie & Tavern met when they were students at The Culinary Institute of America. They have appeared on "Best Thing I Ever Ate," "Chopped," "Rewrapped," and "Beat Bobby Flay" on the Food Network and on the Travel Channel's "Food Paradise." They have also appeared in Oprah Winfrey's "O" The Magazine. The O'Heas have been guest chefs at Walt Disney World's Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Houston's "Sugar Land Food & Wine Affair, Boca Raton's "Boca Bacchanal" Food & Wine Festival, and on Holland America Cruise Line.