Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheese Ball
User Reviews
5
Spiced Orange, Sage and Macadamia Nut Cheese Ball
Description
The Spiced Orange, Sage, and Macadamia Nut Cheese Ball incorporates softened cream cheese with the sharp, salty flavor of pecorino cheese and the crunch of finely chopped macadamia nuts. Chives and crispy sage leaves add fresh herbal notes and a distinctive texture. Bright orange zest provides a citrusy aroma, balanced by warm ground allspice and freshly ground nutmeg for subtle spice. Salt and freshly cracked black pepper season the mixture.
After combining the ingredients, the mixture is chilled to firm the cheese ball and then shaped and rolled in a coating of chopped macadamia nuts, pecans, and fresh herbs like parsley, sage, and chives. This coating adds rustic texture and herbaceous flavors that complement the smooth and spiced filling.
This cheese ball can be prepared ahead of time and served with crackers or bread as a savory appetizer with a complex flavor profile featuring citrus, nuts, and spices.
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup pecorino cheese finely grated
- 1/4 cup macadamia nuts finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives freshly chopped
- 2 tablespoons sage recipe below, chopped, crispy
- 3 teaspoons orange zest freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground
- Pinch salt
- Pinch black pepper freshly cracked
for the outside coating:
- ⅔ cup macadamia nuts finely chopped
- ½ cup pecan finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs like parsley, sage and chives, chopped
Instructions
- To make the crispy sage, heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a skillet. Once melted and bubbling, add 8 to 10 sage leaves into the butter, cooking for 2 to 2 minutes. Remove the sage with kitchen tongs and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, pecorino, nuts, chives, sage, orange zest, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until combined and everything is evenly distributed. Taste with a cracker and determine if you would like more spice or orange. I love it just like this!
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your counter. Form the cheese mixture into somewhat of a ball and place it in the center of the plastic wrap. Wrap it up, forming it more into a ball as your go. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. After refrigerating, you can form it into more of a ball with your hands while it’s still wrapped in plastic.
- To roll the cheeseball, combine the macadamia nuts, pecans and herbs on a plate, stirring them together. Place the cheeseball on the plate and roll it through, coating the outside.
- You can serve the cheeseball immediately or wrap it up and serve a few hours later. You can make this a day or two ahead of time, but I would wait to roll the ball in the nuts, as they will soften over time because of the cream cheese.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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