twist on the classic combination of cheese & fruit
I made these easy and pretty grapes for the first time about 15 years ago for a holiday open house. They are a perennial favorite. The cheese and nut-coated grapes make such a stunning presentation when placed on a pedestal with fresh grapes and leaves and are perfect to set on a bar at a party.
Since there are only 4 ingredients this recipe certainly qualifies for my “easy-breezy” category and if you have kids around, they will love helping make them. If you are putting them together alone, use one hand to roll or lightly coat the grapes with the cheese mixture and keep the other hand clean to roll the cheese-coated grapes in the nuts and place them on a plate, otherwise, you’ll end up with a gooey mess.
Blue Cheese Grapes
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 ounces creamy blue cheese, room temperature
2 large bunches seedless grapes, red or green
1 1/4 cups finely ground toasted pecans
Citrus leaves, for garnish
Place cream cheese and blue cheese in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.
Press a thin layer of the cheese mixture around each seedless grape, then roll in the ground pecans. Arrange on a pedestal plate with a small bunch or two of fresh grapes and citrus leaves for garnish, serve at room temperature, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes about 50 grapes
12 comments
I have never been on your website before and I am so impressed. I loved the dessert at class Wed. night and need to talk to you about cutting it as I will definitely make it. See you Wed. night.
Merilyn
Thank you Merilyn! To cut the cake, just use a long sharp knife, not serrated, and cut straight down. See you in a couple days for our last class of the series.
have the brisket in the oven, planning on tuesday night. the dessert recipe i mentioned is below:
ETRUSCAN COLUMN
(a rustic meringue cake, not a “mahbl collum”)
Cake:
1 cup egg whites (approx 6)
8 oz pecans (approx 2 cups)
2 cups sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
375 oven.
Chop pecans to a coarse grind in food processor; add sugar and pulse once or twice to combine.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. (If you are teaching kids the difference between stiff peaks and dry whites, it’s safe to do so here, because liquids make it forgiving). Fold in pecan/sugar mixture, then vanilla and vinegar; stir to uniform batter.
Pour into parchment lined, sprayed or buttered & floured 8″ cake pans. Bake on middle oven rack 30 to 40 min; top will be crusty, perhaps cracked. Run knife around edge and invert onto cake racks, peel off parchment, and allow to cool. If the bottom is tacky, you may allow to dry either by leaving out in a dry location overnight, or by returning to oven which has been turned off with door ajar. More important that the cakes be completely cool; the tacky edges will be filled and covered and do not matter.
Filling (whipped or chilled ganache) :
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
4-6 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate.
Chop chocolate and melt in microwave; stir, then set aside to cool (but not harden)
Whip cream to stiff peaks; fold in the melted chocolate; I prefer a grainy texture rather than uniform color, but appearance and quantity of chocolate can be adjusted to your taste.
Set aside the cake with the more attractive top; place the crust side down on an 8″ round (cardboard or tart pan bottom); spoon some of the ganache to fill. There will be recesses where the cake bottoms have collapsed; you do not need more than to fill this cavity; place second cake with crust up. With a frosting spatula, ice the sides, creating a smooth edge (perhaps extending a little above the top). Do not cover the top crust. Refrigerate.
There will be some filling left over; refrigerated, keeps a week and can be spooned onto coffee.
these look very yummy – your such a creative girl.
Wow Mark, thanks for the comment and for the great looking recipe! See you for crown pork roast in a couple days!
Look at you, being my awesome “commenter” – Just got home from the Cardinals game where they took down the Vikings 30 to 17 – GREAT game! xoxo
i have always loved your cheese grapes and I use to make them all the time..thanks for the easy breezy reminder.
I don’t like it when your blog isn’t updated by 10:27. I keep checking it and its still the grapes. But I do like the tablecloth that’s behind the grapes. It might be missing after winter break 😉
Sorry darling girl, it’s been a busy day in the rain… just walked in the door, been to Fry’s, Safeway, Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s, another Target, Total Wine, Albertson’s and a 3rd Target (3 Targets – trying to find icicle lights- there are none!) Post is up now though. 🙂 xoxo
Thank you Kim, can’t wait to see you tomorrow night 🙂
Linda,
Just back from Coronado, so tomorrow’s the day for baking cookies from the class we ‘missed’. Have the cake planned for the Stitch & B*#ch Ornament Exchange in two weeks! 🙂 Can’t wait for Wednesday evening.
Hi Sheila, good luck with the baking and see you tomorrow night. 🙂
Leave a Comment