This recipe was first published inTaste magazine.
Bacon ranch cheese ball with crackers
A cheese ball is a magnificent, old-school way to feed a fair few peckish guests. This American-inspired recipe is full of salty bacon bits, creamy ranch seasoning and crunchy roasted pecans. Photography by Jani Shephered/Gatherum Collectif
- 20 mins preparation
- 5 mins cooking
- 1 hr marinating
- Serves 10
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Ingredients
- 300 gram bacon
- 750 gram cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cup pecans, lightly roasted
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced spring onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- thinly sliced Braeburn apples, to serve
- gluten-free crackers (this recipe used Larder Project), to serve
Method
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1Fry bacon until crispy then chop or crumble into small pieces. Set aside to cool.
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2Use a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to mix together the cream cheese, onion and garlic powders and season with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth.
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3Finely chop 2/3 cup of the roasted pecans and add to the cream cheese mixture. Add the parmesan, spring onion, half the parsley and half the bacon.
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4Mix to combine, cover bowl in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
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5Mix together the remaining bacon, pecans and parsley.
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6Remove cheese from fridge and shape into a ball. Roll ball in the bacon-nut mixture to coat the outside, pressing the nuts in as you go. Refrigerate until needed.
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7Serve cheese ball on a platter with fresh apple slices and crackers. Store any leftover cheese airtight in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make in advance and forget about it until the party starts. - Try serving with slices of crisp apple and gluten-free crackers.
