Cheese Balls Three Ways

KathyP53's Note:

One base recipe you divide into three. I made this last night for a jewelry party. Had major recipe requests. These are delicious! Am taking to a party this weekend, and one of my guests from last night asked me to bring to her Christmas. From Martha Stewart Living December 05 issue.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 8-10

Yield: 3.0 cheese ...

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 5 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
• 8 ounces orange sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• 2 tablespoons chutney (I used bottled mango chutney from grocery store)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 6 ounces Roquefort cheese
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• 1/3 cup fresh curly-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
• vegetable chips (such as Terra Chips Sweets & Beets)
• water crackers

Directions:

1. Put butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Divide equally among 3 medium bowls.
2. Stir cheddar cheese and chutney with base mixture in the first bowl. Form into a ball and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to one month. After thoroughly chilled, smooth into perfectly round ball with hands and roll in cranberries to coat before serving. Serve with crackers.
3. Stir blue cheese and shallot with base mixture in second bowl; add brandy. Form into ball and chill as above. Roll in walnuts to coat before serving. Serve with chips.
4. Stir goat cheese and scallions with base mixture in remaining bowl. Form into a ball and chill as above. Roll inparsley to coat before serving. Serve with cucumber slices.

Reviews

[Mia in Germany]

Amazing - a wonderful recipe! Made it for my husband's birthday party yesterday, and it got rave reviews. I had to do some substitutions: Parmiggiano and Pecorino for sharp cheddar and a German blue cheese combined with pecorino for Roquefort, so maybe that's the reason why it was too creamy to be shaped into balls. I served it as dips in bowls, and people just told me they couldn't stop eating! No leftovers from this party :-) Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

[Sue Masters]

Had this at a party last weekend - out of this world delicious. Thanks for the recipe I was going to buy the magazine to get it.