1/2 lb. cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/4 c. whipping cream
3 oz. finely chopped white chocolate

Chill cream, bowl, and beaters well.

Melt chocolate and cool to tepid.

Line 6 (1/2-cup) heart molds or one large heart mold with enough dampened cheesecloth to overhang edges and enclose the filling complete.

In electric mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and 1/4 cup cream at medium speed. Add melted chocolate and beat until completely smooth; set aside.

Whip remaining cream at medium speed until it forms stiff peaks. Fold cream into white chocolate mixture. Fill each prepared mold with 1/2 cup of the mixture. Tap molds on counter top, fold cheesecloth over top, and refrigerate on a baking sheet 6 hours or overnight.

RASPBERRY AND APRICOT PUREES:

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen raspberries with syrup, thawed
1/3 c. sugar
1 (8 oz.) can pitted apricot halves
2 tbsp. amaretto liqueur

Puree raspberries with sugar in food processor. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, if desired; set aside. Wash processor bowl and puree apricots with their juice and amaretto; set aside.

Pour a generous serving of raspberry puree on one side of dessert dish. Put two small dollops of apricot puree on the raspberry puree and using a small knife, draw completely through each dollop to make a heart shape. Unmold the cream hearts and set beside the purees. Makes 6 servings.

This heart-shaped classic ("coor a la crehm") is perfect for a Valentine's Day dessert. It and the sauces can be made as long as two days in advance and assembled just before serving.