Equipment
Ingredients
Coeur à la Creme
- 450 g ricotta
- 45 g confectioners' sugar
- 2½ ml vanilla extract
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 3 egg white
- ½ g salt
Rhubarb Sauce
- 950 g rhubarb, chopped
- 80 g sugar
- 1 cloves
- ¼ cinnamon
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 372 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 24 g
- Sodium
- 157 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 82 mg
- Potassium
- 686 mg
- Calcium
- 322 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 163 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 262 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 49 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.42 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 240 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse the cheesecloth in cold water, wring it out, and line the molds or sieve with four layers.
Force the ricotta through a fine-meshed sieve into a mixing bowl to remove lumps.
Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract to the sieved ricotta and stir to combine.
Whisk the heavy cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form.
Carefully fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture until fully incorporated.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared molds or sieve, being careful not to compress it.
Fold the excess cheesecloth over the top of the mixture.
Place the molds on a tray and refrigerate for 24 hours to drain.
Combine rhubarb, sugar, clove, and cinnamon in a saucepan; cover and simmer at approximately 95°C (203°F) for 5 minutes until soft but intact.
Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool completely.
Invert the molds onto a platter, remove the cheesecloth, and serve with the rhubarb sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Traditional heart-shaped molds with drainage holes (coeur à la crème molds) provide the best results.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
The cream is too soft or collapses when unmolded.
Cause: Insufficient draining time or the ricotta was too wet.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once unmolded; serve in bowls if it does not hold its shape.
Prevention: Ensure the mixture drains for a full 24 hours and use high-quality, thick ricotta.
Egg whites did not reach stiff peaks.
Cause: Fat or yolk contamination in the bowl or whisk.
Fix: Start over with fresh egg whites and clean equipment.
Prevention: Use a stainless steel or glass bowl and ensure all equipment is perfectly clean.
Cultural Context
Coeur à la Neige, or "heart in the snow," is a classic French dessert that highlights the delicate texture of strained cheese and whipped cream. It originated in the Loire Valley and is often served as a light yet elegant conclusion to a meal, particularly during springtime when rhubarb is in season.
