Yield: 12 Servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 8 ounces | Roquefort cheese; or other blue cheese, crumbled |
| 1 cup | Chopped walnuts or pecans |
| 12 ounces | Cream cheese; softened |
| ½ cup | Butter; softened |
| ¼ teaspoon | Ground nutmeg |
| ¼ teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ cup | Dairy sour cream |
| ⅓ cup | Port wine |
| \N \N | About 70 seedless red or black grapes; halved |
| \N \N | Crisp unsalted crackers |
| \N \N | Additional seedless grapes |
"A cheese mold decorated with fruit - the perfect dessert for those who don't like sweet endings to a meal." -Sharon Tyler Herbst, Simply Sensational Desserts
Day before serving: Begin preparation; requires overnight refrigeration.
Day of serving: Begin up to 6 hours before serving; requires 3 hour refrigeration. Prior to serving: Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
Generously oil a 5-cup mold or bowl with a rounded base, such as a small electric mixer bowl. In a medium bowl, toss together blue cheese and nuts; set aside.
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, nutmeg and salt until creamy and smooth. Add sour cream and port; beat until blended. Turn ⅓ of cream-cheese mixture into prepared mold. Sprinkle with ½ of Roquefort-nut mixture to within ½-inch of edges. Using the tip of a kitchen spoon, swirl Roquefort and nuts through cream-cheese mixture. Spoon another ⅓ of cream-cheese mixture over top. Sprinkle with remaining Roquefort mixture; swirl as before. Top with remaining cream-cheese mixture; smooth top. Cover mold with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Up to 6 hours before serving, dip mold into a large container of very hot water 30 to 60 seconds. Invert onto a serving plate. If necessary, insert a blunt knife between mold and cheese to release suction. Smooth surface of mold with the back of a kitchen teaspoon.
Press grape halves, cut-side in, over surface of cheese mold in concentric circles. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Serve with unsalted crackers and additional grapes.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Submitted to TNT recipes for Gourmet Friday, 3/13/98 by Helen Simmons (simmons@...).
Recipe by: Simply Sensational Desserts, Sharon Tyler Herbst Posted to TNT Recipes Digest by Helen Simmons <simmons@...> on Mar 13, 1998