Strawberry Coeur a la Creme
Food and love are meant to be shared. And if you are a passionate person like me, you take them both very seriously!
With family and friends, I openly share my home, my food, my love. But in intimate settings sharing food becomes more of a sensual dining experience. Candlelight, soft music.. how romantic sharing a meal that you have prepped ahead or plan to make together! And as the evening wraps up, the most luxurious, creamy dessert is presented, in the shape of a heart, made with love.
Even if your plans are for dining out, offering a sweet ending at home, two spoons and a kiss….simple pleasures, that’s what I love.
I realize now that I’ve tempted and teased you into desiring this dessert; you would need to have a special mold to make this.
But trust me this will not become another kitchen gadget to pack away in your cupboard especially in warmer months as this make-ahead, no-bake dessert served with fresh fruit can literally be whipped together in minutes! Just a few ingredients, cream cheese and whipping cream, create a melt in your mouth excitement, similar to a cheesecake, but lighter, and infused with lemon and vanilla, the taste is heavenly and the aroma of vanilla…well, it has been known to be a powerful temptation to men :)
Strawberry Coeur a la Crème
Adapted from Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Strawberry Sauce, recipe below
Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.
Line a 7-inch heart mold with cheesecloth or paper towels so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate with a pool of strawberry sauce on the bottom and spooned on top. Serve at once. Serves 6-8.
Strawberry Sauce:
2 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup strawberry jam
2 tablespoons Chambord liquor
Place strawberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in the jam and liquor. Leave as is for a chunky sauce as shown in my photo or pour the cooked strawberries, the jam, and liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
What a beautiful passionate dessert. Perfect for Valentine’s day or any romantic day, really. :)
Thank you Alex!
How beautiful…and delicious looking!! If you don’t care about the heart shape, I’ve read that you can actually make this with a cheesecloth-cloth lined colander. Personally, I don’t think I’d be sharing this ;)
Great tip Amy! I will have to try that out when a heart is not necessary!!
Perfect, Linda! I was already planning to make panna cotta, but thanks for reminding me the Coeur a la Creme is the way to go for the big Heart Day and a better choice! Yours sounds just right…now I have to figure out the rest of the meal, but thanks for helping me with dessert. Happy weekend!
This really is an easy and special dessert to pull together – glad I could help you out! Hope you had a happy Valentines!
With a pudding like that I’m sure your Valentines will be spectacular ;-)
I have tried Ina’s recipe for couer a la creme many times with different fruits. I can attest to it being delicious!!
This is one great-looking dessert, Linda, and with a holiday approaching we expected no less. Holidays bring out the best in you — like there’s a “worst” in you! (If there is, I’ve yet to see it.)
Though I doubt I’ll ever own a heart-shaped mold, that doesn’t mean I won’t make this dessert. Give me a square dish and sharp knife. I’ll make do. One thing’s for certain, though, I will make this strawberry sauce. I don’t now how and I don’t know when, but, I am going to make it, Linda. Pancakes. I’ll make it for pancakes. That’s the ticket! :)
If I don’t “see you around” before then, I hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day.
Thank you John, hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s day! Now, don’t be so fast to disregard getting a heart shape mold!! Men have hearts too :)
This sauce I made was similar to the Basil Strawberry Sauce for my cheesecake. I guess once I get use to making a certain sauce, I keep repeating it!
What a beautiful Valentine’s Day dessert. It’s so pretty and romantic. I’d love to cook this xx
What a beautiful and easy dessert Linda. This would be perfect for Valentine’s Day (especially being on a work night). The strawberry sauce looks out of this world too. That could have many, many uses in our house. I hope you have a very wonderful Valentine’s!
Thank you Kristy! I hope you and your family had a loving day! The sauce is great for cheesecakes too :)
Cream cheese, heavy cream, lemon zest … strawberry sauce? Oh yeah, I’m in — all in! Now if I could just convince my sweetheart that we really could have dessert that didn’t involve chocolate … that will be the challenge. ;) Love this recipe though!
Maybe a chocolate drizzle would make him happy!!
That really is beautiful! And so timely. The mold I probably wouldn’t get but the technique? Perfect!
Happy Valentines Day if I don’t “see” you before then.
Thanks David, Happy Valentine’s Day!
I think your wife would love to be surprised by a heart shaped dessert!
I LOVE making coeur a la creme! I started with Ina Garten’s recipe, so I’ll have to try yours next!
Linda, this is a beautiful dessert! I feel the passion! I wish I could pick up one of the spoons filled with the strawberries and creme!
I’ve been meaning to buy a mould for ages to mak this dessert, I think you’ve finally convinced me! Even if it’s round or sqaure, this is a fabulous dessert and I’d also make it for my best friends on a less “romantic” night. And I’m all for sharing plates and platters…it’s very latin!
I hope you do get one of these molds! I too had put it off for awhile and since getting it, have used it very often.
It reminds me of a no bake cheesecake. Which by the way I LOVE! Oh boy this sounds so lovely. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but you’re right, there’s no reason this couldn’t be great all year around.
This looks so heavenly Linda. What a beautiful presentation as well.
Well isn’t that just gorgeous! This look so good, Linda. Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! xoxo
It looks absolutely wonderful and worth sharing :)
that looks amazing. I can only imagine how delicious it must be with the strawberry syrup! YUM!