Last week, I had the pleasure of having happy hour with Molly Wizenberg, creator of the award-winning blog Orangette and author of A Homemade Life. Her blog is a must read and her book builds on her style in format that is both revealing and inspiring. She left grad school in 2005 to pursue food writing full-time and has been a regular columnist in Bon Appétit. Most recently, she and her husband opened a restaurant in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle (stay tuned for a review on Delancey in the coming months when we are able to get a table at this bustling joint).

Leading up to my encounter with Molly, I gave one of her recipes a try. And I was pleasantly surprised at how well Coeur a la crème with raspberry sauce accompanied Champagne. We enjoyed this heavenly dessert with good company, and a glass of Moet & Chandon. While it appears difficult, it is, hands down, one of the easiest desserts I’ve made, and by far one of the best. It is light and fluffy yet full of flavor given the richness of cream cheese and white chocolate. And raspberry puree is the perfect addition on top. If you’re thinking about making something sweet for Valentine’s Day, I highly recommend giving this a try.

Coeur a la crème with raspberry sauce

Instead of using a heart shaped mold, I used a colander, which Molly suggests as another option. Although it doesn’t look quite as pretty, it tastes the same. Serves 6-8.

For the Coeur/dome

3 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped (use the best you can find)

One 8-ounce package of cream cheese (not low fat, room temperature)

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

¾ powdered sugar, sifted

Using a 1 ¼ quart colander, first take some damp cheesecloth and line (double layer) the interior completely while leaving enough to extend beyond its edges and enclose the filling completely. Press smooth and let the extra hang over the sides of the colander.

Heat white chocolate in microwave in 22 second burst, stirring until smooth. Set aside and let cool.

Combine cream cheese, ¼ cup of cream, and powdered sugar in bowl, mixing together until light and fluffy. Add white chocolate and continue to mix until silky smooth.

In another bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup cream into peaks, and then fold into cream cheese mixture. Spoon the mix directly into mold, folding cheese cloth over the top. Put the colander on a plate or cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

For the puree

One 10-ounce bag of frozen raspberries, thawed

3 tablespoons sugar

Combine raspberries (and their juice) with sugar in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Push the purée through a very fine sieve to remove the seeds. Store in covered container and chill for up to 4 hours.

When ready to serve, spoon a dollop or two into a Ramekin, topped with a spoonful of raspberry puree.