Aunt Mabel always makes a holiday cheese ball out of cheese? Go her one better this year and make a genuine cultured cream cheese ball from your own homemade cream cheese! Tip: Kids love it.
When you reach the final step 7 of removing the cream cheese from the draining cheesecloth/bag, proceed with these steps to produce the cheese ball.
Remove the drained cream cheese from the cheesecloth/bag into a large bowl. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Using sandwich baggies as mitts, shape the mixed cheeses into a large ball or several smaller cheese balls. Coating all sides lightly with Kosher salt, and place on a Nylon mesh drying mat on a rack. Cover loosely with wax paper and dry for 24 hours, reshaping and turning the ball when needed.
Prepare nut coating: Spread the pecans on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 325° F for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Pulse nuts in a food processor to chop. Stir in butter and salt.
Spread the buttered nuts on a plate. Roll the cheese ball to coat, patting the nuts in place to form a smooth layer. Serve immediately or wrap in wax paper, then plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to one week.
Serving tip: Let the ball warm up a bit to spread on crackers.
