Pecan Crusted Cream Cheese Ball Recipe

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by The Beverage People

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.

 

Ingredients

 

See ingredients required to produce the cream cheese

16 oz Cream Cheese from above recipe

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Nut Coating Ingredients:

1 cup pecan halves

Cooking spray

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

½ tsp. Kosher salt

 

Equipment

See equipment required to produce the cream cheese

Sandwich baggies

Wax paper

Plastic wrap

Nylon mesh drying rack

Food processor for pulsing nuts

 

Time Required:

To make the cream cheese: 2-3 days

To produce the pecan ball: 1 day

Method

  1. Make cream cheese according to our instructions here.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Serving tip: Let the ball warm up a bit to spread on crackers.