These savory truffles are delicious additions to a cheese board or just a stand-alone appetizer. And I love that they are so flexible; I can change out the seasoning of cheese and what I roll them in.
For a private event at The Quail & Olive yesterday, I used smoked paprika in the cheese and dried apricots plus barbeque-seasoned pistachios on the outside. In previous versions, I have whipped in dried beets to make them pink for Valentines' Day; I have rolled them in crushed truffle chips; and so much more. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!
And, after all these years of me making them, Jake finally told me that he has always thought my truffles were too big. I used a small scoop this time around and he declared them the perfect size. Fantastic! Also this is easy to scale up for as many truffles as you need. The amounts below make approximately a dozen 1-1/2 inch truffles.
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup chopped barbeque seasoned pistachios
Also needed: hand-blender; scoop, optional but it makes portioning consistent
Procedure
Place cream cheese and goat cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand blender to combine the cheeses. If the cheese is too soft, you can refrigerate it until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and blend until well-combined.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the chopped dried apricots and chopped pistachios. Use a scoop or a spoon to portion out the cheese.
Roll the cheese in the topping and set on a serving platter. Serve with crackers.
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