Goat cheese is a very versatile ingredient, but it’s best when served on warm, grilled bread and topped with fresh fruit or sliced veggies. A drizzle of honey makes it just perfect! Whipped Goat Cheese is sweet, salty, and peppery; it’s hard not devour the whole lot of it!
Summer is here. I hate summer. I really do! I’m not a fan of humid and hot weather conditions. I’d much prefer a snow storm or even a full-blown blizzard. Although, I must admit, I love a good summer thunder storm. I guess my mother was right all along, there’s just no way to please me! The only good thing about summer is the food! Whipped Goat Cheese is certainly a food that fits perfectly into backyard, summertime eating.
When summertime comes though, I try my best to limit the need for too many heating elements in my kitchen. I love to cook, and do so almost every single day, but sometimes, like today, it’s just too hot to spend time standing at the stove.
Even though this recipe is no-bake, it does require a broiler, but only if you’re making crostini to go with it. But, even then, it’s literally about five minutes of use. And, if you’re completely adamant about turning on your oven, you can certainly grill the bread on your outdoor grill. That way, you’re sure to avoid heating up your kitchen. The rest of this recipe is prepared without any need for anything but a knife, a cutting board, a fork, and a bowl.
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INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Goat Cheese – There are so many varieties with flavours already in them – do not buy those for this recipe. Buy plain, soft, un-ripened goat cheese like this.
- Half & Half – This can be found in almost any grocery store. It’s a half and half mixture of cream and whole milk. You can use full fat, whole milk if that’s all you have.
- Honey – This rounds out the tartness of the goat cheese and helps to smooth it out while adding a touch of sweetness.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper
HOW TO MAKE WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE
If you are only preparing Whipped Goat Cheese to be used as a dip or a spread, then it’s super easy and fast. Truly, Dear Reader, the only thing that takes up time is deciding how to eat it. Are you planning to make crostini and top it with berries or veggies, like I did? Or are you adding it to a charcuterie board with crackers and breadsticks?
To prepare the cheese, add the goat cheese, half and half, honey, salt, and ground black pepper to a bowl. You can use a mixer to beat the ingredients together, or use a fork and mash it all until it is smooth and lump-free. I tend to use a fork, because it’s easier to wash up! If you are eating the cheese right away, go ahead and spread it or dip it. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Room temperature is best, so be sure to remove it from the fridge and let it sit on your counter for 20-30 minutes before serving.
HOW TO MAKE CROSTINI
Crostini is an Italian word which translates to little crusts. They are usually prepared with thinly sliced baguette, but you can use other breads too. Any elongated, crusty bread will do the trick. Honestly, Dear Reader, I prefer to use older bread, because stale bread toasts much better and is crispier. So, whichever bread you use, use a serrated knife to slice it just shy of half an inch thick, and on a diagonal.
Lightly brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. I like to use a pastry brush to make it easier to do. Some people like to salt and pepper the bread before toasting or grilling, but I did not do it in this case. It all depends on what is going on them. The goat cheese is already seasoned, so the bread does not need it.
You can broil the bread for 3-4 minutes per side in a single layer on a baking sheet. Or you can grill them. Lay them onto a preheated grill and allow them to toast until you get nice grill marks. On a medium-high grill, over direct heat, this will take about a minute on each side.
Once the bread is done, smear it liberally with the room temperature Whipped Goat Cheese. Top that with fresh berries or slices of cucumber or tomatoes. Top with a drizzle of honey over the berries. You can even add some fresh thyme leaves to the vegetable-topped crostini. So delicious!
GOAT CHEESE
Goat cheese is one of my favourite cheeses. It’s so creamy and smooth, and completely flexible in terms of food prep. Goat cheese can be sweetened, made to taste savoury, and adds so much depth to a pasta dish. It’s a great vessel for carrying a stronger flavour and it really does blend well with more dominant ingredients.
Goat cheese, or chevre, is a cheese that is made from goat’s milk. It is made in a wide variety of styles, from soft fresh cheese to hard aged cheese. You may have noticed that in comparison to cheese made with cow’s milk, goat cheese is slightly tart. That’s because cow’s milk and goat’s milk have similar overall fat contents, but goats milk is here in fatty acids. It also has a lower lactose content than cow’s milk.
Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years and dates back to Ancient Greece around 5,000 B.C. In the simplest form, goat cheese is made by allowing raw milk to naturally curdle, and then draining and pressing the curds. Other techniques use an acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice) or rennet to coagulate the milk. Soft goat cheeses are made in kitchens worldwide, with cooks hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds in the warm kitchen for several days to drain and cure. If the cheese is to be aged, it is often brined so it will form a rind, and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months to cure.
PAIR IT WITH SWEET OR SAVOURY INGREDIENTS
For this particular post, I made two types of crostini to showcase how one very easy whipped goat cheese can be transformed into two separate types of crostini. The first is the sweet type. I liberally smeared the whipped goat cheese over each of the crostini and topped them with blackberries and raspberries. I also sprinkled a few fresh thyme leaves right on top. Both blackberries and raspberries pair really well with thyme. Lastly, drizzle with some honey.
For the savoury type, I again smeared the crostini with the whipped goat cheese, and then I topped them thinly sliced cucumber and cherry tomato halves. Then, along with the fresh thyme leaves, I added a nice sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.
DON’T HAVE CROSTINI? USE CRACKERS!
So many things can be added to these crostini, and in fact, you don’t have to top them at all! In a pinch, I would gladly smear the crostini (or even crackers!) with the whipped goat cheese and make a complete meal out of it. If you’re looking for more savoury ideas, you have got to try my Sweet & Sticky Tomato Jam. It’s perfect with the whipped goat cheese! Basically, spread a good amount of the prepared goat cheese onto the crostini, and with the back of a teaspoon, make a well, and fill the well with the jam. Lightly sprinkle some freshly grated black pepper over the top, and add a few chives.
Of course you can make up your own versions of these as well. Avocado with coarse sea salt would be terrific! What about sun dried tomatoes and salty green olives? Consider trying a grilled peach with honey, or fresh tomatoes with a drizzle of good balsamic, or even a piece of prosciutto. There are so many possibilities! I would love to hear what combinations you can think of! Send me a note!
Do You Like This Recipe?
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Whipped Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 300 grams goat cheese
- 4 tablespoons half and half or light cream
- 2 tablespoons honey, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 10 slices baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the milk, honey, salt and pepper to the goat cheese.
- With your hand held mixer, blend until all ingredients are well combined and the goat cheese takes on a smooth consistency.
- Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature while you prep the bread.
- Lightly brush both sides of the sliced baguette with olive oil. Broil for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove from oven to cool.
- To assemble, smear about two tablespoons of the whipped goat cheese onto each slice of the crostini. Top with your favourite toppings and garnish accordingly.
Nutrition
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strawberryblondiekitchen says
I’ve never madewhipped goat cheese but I LOVE goat cheese. I’ll slather it on practically anything. Will definitely be trying this!
khadija says
haha you are like me i love the cold cuddling snuggling weather! I have had goat cheese crostini at a restaurant and honestly when i saw this recipe i thought “whoa! I can make it”! ok, I am gonna give it a go
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Khadija! It looks like our cold, snuggle weather is over for now. 🙁
Erin | Thanks for Cookin says
Oh that sounds so good with cucumber on top! I’ve made whipped goat cheese before and added basil, a recipe I think I originally got from Giada de Laurentis. My mom and I dunked pita chips in it and it was divine!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Erin. I love the idea of using this as a dip for pita chips. Thanks!
2cairnterriers says
i thought i’d hit on the best whipped goat chz recipe yet when i read that you hate summer! i ABHOR it! however, when i scrolled down and glimpsed the ingredients, i found i had been mistaken & mislead again. a lot of people who have dairy intolerance cannot “safely & effectively” digest cows’ milk products–they can, however, have goats’ milk and sheep’s milk foods. thus far, EVERY whipped goat chz dip recipe i have explored INCLUDES THE GODFORSAKEN COWS’ MILK ITEM IN IT!!! oh, for pity’s sake, WHY??? … thank god it’s december & not july, or i’d really be fit to be tied!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Ha! Instead of using milk, which is only used to thin the goat cheese, try using almond milk or any type of soy milk. For that matter, you could use water! 🙂
Susan says
This is delicious. It’s good at room temperature , on toasted bread and topped with fruit. I also have warmed it in the oven and topped it with marinara sauce and spread it on the toasted bread. Yum!