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Retro Rad Holiday Cheese Ball Plate/ Wreath
A rad remix on the retro cheese ball recipe using cool ingredients like wasabi, ginger snaps, and olives all displayed on a beautiful rosemary wreath!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 30 minutes
Serves: Party Size
Yield: 40–45 1 1⁄2-inch cheese balls
Ingredients
Base Recipe:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons Frigo® Whole Milk Ricotta
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon hot sauce
Sweet Mozzarella:
- 1 (8-ounce) package Frigo® Fresh Mozzarella, grated
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 cup dried cranberries, for coating
- 1 cup slivered almonds, for coating
Blue Cheese And Ginger Snaps:
- 1 (5-ounce) container Frigo® Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 1 tablespoon shallots, minced
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- 1⁄2 cup ginger snaps, coarsely chopped, for coating
- 1⁄2 cup shredded coconut, toasted, for coating
Italian Three Cheese Blend:
- 1 (5-ounce) container Frigo® Shredded 3-Cheese Italian Blend
- 3⁄4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 lemons, zested, reserve a third for coating
- 3 tablespoons dried red chili flakes, for coating
- 1 cup (packed) fresh thyme leaves, rosemary, and/or parsley, minced, for coating
Feta and Wasabi Peas:
- 1 (5-ounce) container Frigo® Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 1⁄4 cup green onions/scallions, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1⁄2 teaspoon spicy sesame oil
- 1 cup wasabi peas, finely chopped, for coating
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, for coating
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for coating
Directions
Put cream cheese, butter, Frigo® Whole Milk Ricotta, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and white pepper into a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium until combined. Divide equally among 4 medium bowls.
In the first medium-sized bowl, add Frigo® Fresh Mozzarella and honey with the base mixture and beat, scraping bowl as necessary. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll cheese balls in chopped cranberries and almond slivers to coat. To replicate a pinecone for a special holiday look, cover the cheese ball completely with almonds by pressing the round ends of the almond slivers into the cheese ball with the points leaning slightly forward and toward the pointed end. Reserve in the refrigerator in an airtight container for service.
In the second medium-sized bowl, add Frigo® Crumbled Blue Cheese, minced shallots, and brandy with the base mixture and beat, scraping bowl as necessary. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll cheese ball in crushed gingersnaps and shredded coconut to coat. Reserve in the refrigerator in an airtight container for service.
In the third medium-sized bowl, add Frigo® Shredded 3-Cheese Italian Blend, chopped green olives, cayenne pepper, fresh ground black pepper, and zest of one lemon with the base mixture and beat, scraping bowl as necessary. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll cheese balls in the zest of the remaining two lemons, dried red chili flakes, and fresh herbs to coat. Reserve in the refrigerator in an airtight container for service.
In the fourth medium-sized bowl, add Frigo® Crumbled Feta Cheese, sliced green onions, Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, spicy sesame oil with the base mixture and beat, scraping bowl as necessary. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll cheese balls in chopped wasabi peas, black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds to coat. Reserve in the refrigerator in an airtight container for service.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days; freeze up to 1 month.
To serve, arrange the bunches of rosemary on a plate or cutting board in a circle to form a nice wreath. Place your cheese balls, around your wreath as if they were holiday ornaments.
Fill in the gaps with bright clusters of olives, pickled vegetables, dried cranberries, fresh cranberries, and/or charcuterie. Serve with crackers.
Rad Tip: Make ahead by rolling the cheese into balls and refrigerate them, uncoated. Then roll the balls in the coatings before the party.
