Valdeón Cheese Ball
Add a bit of festive flair and elevate the bland cheese balls of past holiday get-togethers. Pair with candied Ritz Crackers for a fancy touch, and get ready for scores of compliments.
Ingredients
CHEESE BALL
- 4 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces Valdeón rind removed
- 1 cup dried whole cranberries plus 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted and salted pistachios
CANDIED RITZ CRACKERS
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 ounces 1 sleeve Ritz Crackers
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay
Instructions
CHEESE BALL
- Add cream cheese and Valdeón to the bowl of a stand mixer and blend on low until creamy. Fold in whole cranberries and chives. Form mixture into a ball, then cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Roll the ball in chopped cranberries and pistachios. Refrigerate until needed.
CANDIED RITZ CRACKERS
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium skillet over medium heat until well combined.
- Toss crackers in the brown sugar mixture in a large mixing bowl, then evenly spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Combine salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Old Bay in a small bowl. Evenly sprinkle mixture over the crackers and bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve with Valdeón cheese ball.
Derek Bissonnette
A former chef who worked in bakeries and three Michelin-starred restaurants throughout America and Europe, Derek Bissonnette has switched gears and now documents his passion for creating food with his camera (One Cheese, Five Ways, p. 25). Derek is the author and photographer of six cookbooks and is currently working on his seventh. He combines his skills for recipe development, styling, and photography at his studio in Saco, Maine.
