Chocolate cream hearts. Aren’t they pretty?

Don’t let the French title of this dessert send you into a tizzy.  It means chocolate cream hearts and it’s really easy to make. The oohs and aahs you get when you serve it, will make it all  worthwhile.

This recipe is one that I clipped from a magazine ages ago because it looked so pretty and sounded easy to make.  But then,  I never made it.  Each time I flipped through my recipe notebook looking for something to make I passed this one by.  How could I?   What was the matter with me?  I think I saw it so often that I no longer saw it.   Know what I mean?   But suddenly this year I SAW IT, because I was searching for  things to make for Valentine’s Day, and these hearts jumped out at me and said, “Here we are, make us”.   OK,  all right,  I will!

I am so glad I did.  They are smooth, creamy-dreamy, a little chocolaty, very decadent, and unbelievably good.  And, all it takes to make them is four, count them, four ingredients.

Only four ingredients.

GET THESE:

• 6   6-inch squares of cheesecloth.  Not an ingredient, but you need this.
• 1  8-ounce package cream cheese, cut up
• 2  Tablespoons bottled fudge sauce   I used Dove Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Sauce by Smucker’s.
• 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream

DO THIS:

1.  Moisten the cheesecloth squares.  Line six 1/2 cup molds or custard cups with the cheesecloth, overlapping it so it fits into the mold or cup with an overhang.

Molds lined with cheesecloth.

2.  Beat the cheese and the fudge sauce with an electric mixer till well combined.  Add the sugar, beat on high speed till fluffy.

Beat cream cheese with fudge sauce and sugar.

3.  Wash beaters.  In another bowl beat cream till soft peaks form;  fold into the fudge mixture.

Fold in whipped cream.

Spoon into molds.  Cover with overhanging cheesecloth.  Quick chill in freezer 30 – 45 minutes or chill in refrigerator 3 – 24 hours.

Fill molds and cover with cheesecloth.

4.  To serve:  spoon additional fudge sauce onto serving plates.  Unmold, remove cheesecloth, and drizzle additional fudge sauce over the top.

Unmold heart onto a puddle of chocolate sauce, and drizzle with more chocolate.

5.  To take this showy dessert one step further,  place a  heart-shaped chocolate on top.

Cap off a special meal with your sweetie by serving this dessert.

I never said it was low in calories, but sometimes you just gotta splurge.  If you are feeling really guilty about all this use reduced fat cream cheese like I did.   🙂

The amount you get from this recipe is ample for 6 molds plus more.  I made an additional serving in a custard cup, and I probably could have made another one if I hadn’t licked so much off my fingers, the beaters, the bowl, the spoon, the spatula—–while making it.

Creamy, dreamy, and chocolaty!  Julia would be proud.