Columbus Foodie

Well, this is my last “official” post as a Barefoot Blogger, and what better recipe than the one I chose for the Bonus Round. I looked through all the Ina Garten recipes on the Food Network site in trying to choose, and this one just appealed to me because of the use of fresh fruit – we’re nearing the end of raspberry season here in Ohio, and what better way to use them? A Coeur a la Creme is literally translated, “a cream heart” and they make special molds for the dish – little did I know that you are supposed to line it with cheesecloth even if you’re using the mold – duh! At any rate, after I fixed that small glitch, it unmolded beautifully.

And about the texture and taste? Amazing. Smooth and fluffy like a mousse, rich like a cheesecake – this is up there with creme brulee when it comes to my favorites. Here’s a close up picture where you can see the texture (and flecks of vanilla) of the cream and of the raspberry sauce. The raspberry sauce tastes divine, but then again, I think that Grand Marnier and berries were made for each other. Desserts like *this* will make it tough to stay on the straight and narrow.

I’m glad I took the time to invest in the specialty mold. Eventually, I’m going to try to lighten this recipe and see if still tastes nearly as good. The recipe makes twice as much as it needs to – if you get the dish, just half everything and you should be fine.

I’ll miss you, Barefoot Bloggers, and will be cheering the rest of you on from the sidelines!

Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce
recipe courtesy Ina Garten

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
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce, recipe follows
2 half-pints fresh raspberries

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 sieve 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, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.

Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Place raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

Yield: 2 cups