Labneh and Coeur à la Crème may come from different culinary traditions, but they have one thing in common—they transform simple yoghurt into an elegant dessert.
Labneh, the Middle Eastern strained yoghurt cheese, has become a permanent fixture in my refrigerator. It is wonderfully versatile: delicious as part of a savoury meal, spread on bread or served with olive oil and herbs, but equally at home in desserts where its fresh, slightly tangy flavour balances sweetness beautifully.
One of my favourite ways to use it is in Coeur à la Crème, the classic French dessert whose name translates as heart of cream. Traditionally made with fresh cream cheese and cream, it is equally delicious prepared with homemade labneh, giving it a lighter texture and a delicate yoghurt flavour.
Labneh – A Staple in My Kitchen
When I first began making labneh many years ago, it was still relatively unfamiliar outside Middle Eastern communities. Today it has become much more widely appreciated, reflecting the way Australia’s multicultural food culture has embraced ingredients from around the world.
Ten years ago I would have said that Italians would not have known about Labneh, but Italian cooks have also discovered labneh, although it is more commonly served as a savoury dish dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and herbs or spices such as mint, parsley, fennel seeds or paprika.
In Australia because of our multi-cultural population we are more familiar with Labneh and with the spices we use.
I enjoy Labneh both in savoury dishes, but I particularly like using it in desserts.
Making Homemade Labneh
Labneh is simply Greek yoghurt that has been strained until much of the whey has drained away, producing a soft cheese with a consistency somewhere between thick yoghurt and cream cheese.
For the best results I buy full-fat Greek-style yoghurt with no added sugar or flavourings. I look for labels such as pot set, live and active cultures, organic or biodynamic. Good yoghurt produces good labneh.
Ingredients
- 1 kg full-fat Greek-style yoghurt
- Muslin (cheesecloth)
- Colander
- Bowl
Method
Line a colander with a single layer of muslin and place it over a bowl.
Spoon the yoghurt into the muslin, cover and refrigerate for 6–8 hours, or overnight if you prefer a firmer texture.
The whey will slowly drain into the bowl below. Different yoghurts release different amounts of liquid depending on their water content. From 1 kg of yoghurt I generally obtain around 820 g of labneh.
Store the finished labneh wrapped in the muslin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will continue to firm slightly as it drains.
Coeur à la Crème
This simple dessert combines the freshness of labneh with cream cheese, ricotta or cream to create a smooth, luxurious filling.
Ingredients
- 700 g labneh
- 250 g cream cheese or ricotta, or 200 ml double cream
- 100 g pure icing sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
- Seeds of 1 vanilla bean, or good-quality vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Method
Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Mix briefly by hand, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the sweetness if necessary.
A traditional Coeur à la Crème mould is heart-shaped with a perforated base that allows any remaining liquid to drain. If you do not own one, a heart-shaped cake tin lined with muslin works well. You may simply need to pour off the drained liquid occasionally. See Photos below.
Line the mould with muslin, spoon in the mixture and smooth the surface.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
To serve, invert onto a serving plate and carefully remove the muslin.
Fresh seasonal fruit, poached fruit or fruit lightly macerated with a splash of liqueur all make excellent accompaniments.
Blood Orange Topping
Blood oranges are one of my favourite winter fruits, and their vibrant colour makes a beautiful contrast to the creamy white dessert.
Ingredients
- 4 blood oranges
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2–4 tablespoons orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
- Fresh mint (optional)
Method
Working over a bowl to catch the juice, remove all peel and pith from the oranges. Cut between the membranes to release the segments.
Heat the honey with 1 tablespoon of water until lightly caramelised.
Add the orange segments and reserved juice and cook gently for 4–5 minutes.
Stir in the orange liqueur and allow the fruit to cool completely before chilling.
Serve the chilled oranges around the Coeur à la Crème and garnish with fresh mint if desired.
This is an elegant dessert that looks impressive yet is surprisingly easy to prepare. Better still, it can be made a day ahead, leaving only the fruit to finish before serving.
MOLDS
Coeur a la crème is made in a heart shaped special mold with a perforated bottom that allows the mixture to drain and compact properly.
A heart shaped baking tin lined with muslin will also keep draining but you will need to remove the liquid more often.
The Final Dessert