Author Notes
I was challenged by a restaurant that I have never been to but read about on the Internet, Obika, a chain of restaurants dedicated solely to serving mozzarella. However, the owner does not serve any desserts made with mozzarella as "this would be a disaster". So I decided to give it a go! I had many ideas, some flops, but finally came up with a traditional French Coeur a la Creme recipe. There are many out there, but I remember seeing a recipe from Chef Patrick O'Connell of the Inn at Little Washington, where he used Mascarpone cheese instead of the usual cream cheese...so I thought, why not Mozzarella? I omitted the sugar and liqueur from his recipe, used honey instead, and instead of rapsberries and mint that he used for the sauce and garnish, I decided to use pure grape jam (fruit juice sweetened) with pistachios to create a more Italian effect with this French dish. I could rename this dish in Italian: Cuore alla Crema di Mozzarella! This dish combines a traditional dessert course (the sweet sauce) with a cheese course or cheese for dessert course. Using the grape sauce, it melds "wine" and cheese in a way! Enjoy! —michelle lynn
Ingredients
- Coeur a la Creme
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8 ounces
mozzarella
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3/4 cup
heavy cream
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2 tablespoons
organic honey
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1 dash
lemon juice
- Grape and Pistachio Sauce
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3 tablespoons
Fruit juice sweentened grape jam
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1 dash
lemon juice
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Add enough water to get the jam to the pourable consistency desired
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1/4 cup
chopped pistachios
Directions
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Coarsely chop the pistachios. Set aside.
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In a blender/mixer or food processor, blend together the mozzarella, heavy cream, honey, and dash of lemon juice until thick.
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Take the blended mixture and scoop into special coeur a la creme heart shaped molds. These molds are sold in speciality stores and have a peforated bottom. I did not have one so I used a heart shaped jello like mold instead!
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Place in refrigerator to firm up more. One can also serve this right away as the mixture is already quite firm.
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In a saucepan, on medium heat, quickly whisk the grape jam with the lemon juice and add enough water to form a pourable consistency. If the jam is still too thick, keep adding water until you reach the desired consistency. This takes about 1 or 2 minutes.
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Place the Coeur a la Creme mold face down on a plate and remove the mold. Carefully spoon the sauce around the Coeur a la Creme on the plate. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios on the sauce. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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