Cream cheese with cherries and raspberry coulis (Crémets aux Cerises et Coulis de Framboise)

This delicious dessert is made with cream and a fresh soft cheese called fromage blanc (‘smooth quark’).

• serves

  4

• prep

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

You need six 25 cm square pieces of muslin that you place in boiling water for one minute to rid of any impurities, then drain.

Ingredients

• 200 ml thin cream
• 2 egg whites
• pinch of cream of tartar
• 6 tbsp caster sugar
• 250 g smooth quark (fromage blanc)
• juice of 1 ½ lemons
• 300 g raspberries
• juice of 1 orange
• 18 pitted cherries

Chilling time: 2 - 3 hours

Instructions

Whisk the cream just until it starts to stiffen.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy.

In another bowl, beat the quark with 2 tablespoons sugar and the juice of ½ lemon until smooth and well combined. Fold in the whipped cream, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.

Place a square of muslin on a plate. Spoon one-sixth of the cream mixture into the centre, then lift the edges of the muslin to wrap the contents firmly. Tie with kitchen string and place on a wire cake rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining muslin and cream mixture. Place the rack on a shallow tray and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight if time permits.

Blend the raspberries, orange juice, remaining lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve and discard the seeds. Stir the pitted cherries into the coulis and refrigerate until needed.

To serve, carefully un-mould the crémets onto 6 dessert plates. Spoon some raspberry coulis and cherries around each one.

Note

• The unmoulding of this superb dessert is very delicate as the desserts are so light. Take your time, and once they are unmoulded, avoid touching the fresh cheese.

Taste le Tour with Gabriel Gaté starts Saturday 7 July 2018 on SBS and then on SBS On Demand and finishes 29 July 2018. Visit the Taste le Tour website to catch-up on episodes, cook up his recipes or find out more about the series.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

You need six 25 cm square pieces of muslin that you place in boiling water for one minute to rid of any impurities, then drain.