This recipe only takes about 10 minutes of preparation, but you'll need to get started a day ahead of time so that the whey can drain away.
DAY 1
- Combine ricotta and yogurt.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a cheesecloth lined sieve set over a bowl.
- Drain in refrigerator for 24 hours.
DAY 2
- Turn drained cheese mixture into a bowl.
- Blend with grated rind, vanilla and sugar.
- Turn into heart-shaped mold lined with cheesecloth. Set on a dish (I use a pyrex square baking dish) to collect any additional whey.
- Drain in refrigerator for another 4 hours.
- Thaw the frozen berries and purée. You should have about 1 cup of purée. Sweeten with a dusting of sugar, if desired.
PRESENTATION
Turn mold onto plate and remove the cheesecloth.
Pour puréed berries around the heart.
Even if you don't have the heart-shaped mold, you can still make the recipe using a sieve. You'll just end up with a rounded mound of crème which will still look festive surrounded by the puréed berries.
The whey you collect when draining the yogurt-ricotta mixture is great as a substitute for buttermilk in pancakes.