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This summer has been the summer of binge-watching for me. A lot of times Iโll watch a few episodes of a show and then forget about it and just look at memeโs on the internetz all night long but lately Iโve enjoyed getting so enthralled into storylines that it then leads to me on Reddit reading WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT SEASON.
I watched Stranger Things in like two days and right now, this very second Iโm very obsessed with The Night Of. If you havenโt watched it, you must!
But before you sit down and waste your life away, make it taste really good by making this cheeseball! Or better yet, invite your friends over so you donโt feel so lame. Cheeseball and good tv-watching might be the best combo ever.
For this post, I used the new Alouette Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread. The flavor is classically cheddar-y; itโs a nostalgic flavor that makes me pretty happy.
I wanted to make it feel a bit more grown-up so I rolled the entire cheeseball in hazelnut dukkah. If you think dukkah and cheddar come from different worlds, you are not wrong, but that doesnโt mean they donโt work well together. Itโs an unexpected tasty combo that Iโm so glad I tried because now I know! CHEDDAR + DUKKAH = A+++
Cheddar Cheeseball Rolled in Dukkah
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Medium sized bowl
- 1 small skillet
- 1 Sheet pan
- 1 mortar and pestle
Ingredients
Cheeseball:ย
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 shallotย
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 ounces Alouette Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Hazelnut Dukkah:ย
- 1/3 cup hazelnutsย
- 1/3 cup sesame seedsย
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Pinch of saltย
Instructions
- To make the cheeseball mixture: To a food processor, add the garlic clove and shallot. Pulse until minced. Next, add the cream cheese, Alouette Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread, shredded cheddar cheese and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Pulse until evenly combined; you may need to take the top off of the food processor, scrape down the mixture and pulse again to get all evenly mixed up. Transfer to a bowl and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 to 2 hours. (See below for my time-saving trick.)ย
- To make the dukkah: While the cheeseball mixture is chilling, letโs make the dukkah. To a small skillet, set over medium heat, add the hazelnuts. Move the pan regularly, until theyโre toasted. Transfer theย hazelnutsย to the center of a clean kitchen towel. Cover them and rub themย vigorously, until most of the skins come off. Transfer the hazelnuts to a mortar and pestle (alternatively, you can use a food processor). Next, add the sesame seeds and moving the pan continuously, toast until lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds. Transfer them to a mortar and pestle and repeat the toasting process with the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Mash and twist and mash and twist again until the spice mixture is all ground up. If youโre using a food processor, give it a few pulses until itโs evenly ground up (but not too finely ground!)ย
- Take a closer look throughout the spice mixture and be sure to mash up any peppercorns or seeds that are still whole (there will most likely be a few). Line a baking sheet withย parchmentย andย pour theย dukkah onto it.ย
- To assemble: Remove the cheeseball mixture from the bowl and form it into a ball by hand, smoothing out the sides as best as you can. Place the ball onto the dukkah mixture and roll it gently until itโs completely coated. I like to do a little sprinkling and pushing the dukkah into the cheeseball, too. Serve with an array of crackers or veggies.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
(This post is sponsored by Alouette Cheese. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep A Cozy Kitchen cozy.)
This looks absolutely beautiful! I love the way you presented the cheeseball!
We have a Smoky Hot Dukkah that would really compliment this cheese ball. It is a delicious mix of roasted hazelnuts, seeds and exotic spices, and would just save a step and could be used on other things as well. We use it on grilled chicken or sprinkled throughout a tossed salad. Check it out at https://tgiordano.mixparty.com/gourmet-gourmet-goodies-c-7_19.html
Guilty and guiltier of becoming sucked into the dummy box mode,by BOTH of those programs!Helpful that they are not on network television,so no commercials!Also guilty of being a cheese freak.so thanks for the recipe!The Dukkah caught my eye.Have been widening my culinary skills to other ethnic foods.The spices sound fantastic.
I love Dukkah and have a great recipe I make to dip my homemade sourdough bread in along with olive oil. I’ve never done anything other than that with Dukkah but now I see I have something new and delicious to try with Dukkah. Thank you!