Pomegranate Jeweled Cheeseball
User Reviews
5
Pomegranate Jeweled Cheeseball
Description
The Pomegranate Jeweled Cheeseball features a creamy mixture of cream cheese, mascarpone, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Fresh sage leaves are pan-fried in butter until crispy, then incorporated into the cheese mix along with toasted almonds, salt, and pepper. The mixture is chilled to become firm enough to shape into a smooth ball.
Before serving, the cheeseball is rolled in pomegranate arils, which have been dried on paper towels to remove excess moisture, adding jewel-like color and a burst of tartness that contrasts the rich cheese. The crispy fried sage and crunchy almonds add texture and a herbal, nutty note to the soft cheese.
This cheeseball pairs well with crackers as a festive appetizer or snack. Holding it chilled until serving helps to maintain its shape and texture. The combination of creamy, sharp, nutty, and fresh flavors presents a balance that makes this dish interesting and visually attractive.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 10 sage fresh leaves
- 1 cream cheese 8-ounce block, softened
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese softened
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese freshly grated, sharp, white
- 1/2 cup Sliced, toasted almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- crackers for serving
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it’s sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy – flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty!
- After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can rolls the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I’d wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it’s sticky enough.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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