Coeurs à la crème au chocolat - chocolate cream hearts

Coeurs à la crème au chocolat
(Chocolate Cream Hearts)
Makes 8 servings
Adapted from Mackley & Handslip

1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 and 1/4 cups whipping cream
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated
2 egg whites

Chocolate Cream Sauce:
2/3 cups half and half
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

Line 8 individuals heart-shaped molds with muslin.
Press cheese through a sieve into a large bowl. Add powdered sugar and whipping cream and beat thoroughly. Stir in grated chocolate.
In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Lightly fold into cheese mixture. Spoon mixture into molds. Refrigerate overnight to drain.
To prepare chocolate cream sauce, in a small bowl, pour 1/4 of half and half. Stir in melted chocolate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of remaining half and half. Gradually stir remaining half and half into chocolate mixture; stir until smooth.
Turn out each heart onto a plate and pour chocolate cream around it. To decorate, drop dots of reserved half and half onto sauce and, using a skewer, feather in a design.

Variations: Coeurs à la crème may be served with fruit, such as raspberries or strawberries, or with fruit purée as a sauce instead of chocolate cream.