Honey Apricot Goat Cheese Spread

This is one of those food items that will always impress. It's actually very easy to make (as long as you have a food processor) but your friends will never know. It has a very gourmet feeling about it with a good deal of complexity in the taste. The tanginess of the goat cheese is well tamed by the sweetness of the honey and apricots. The garlic and pistachios round out the flavor quite well.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of pistachios
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 pound of natural cream cheese
3/4 pound of soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon of honey
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 cup of dried apricots, chopped

Directions

Place the pistachios into the work bowl of your favorite food processor. Pulse until very well chopped. Add the garlic clove and pulse until minced. Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, heavy cream, honey, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, then let the food processor run until everything is well combined and creamy (about one and a half minutes.) Use a spatula to gently fold in the chopped apricots.

Tips And Suggestions

This gently sweetened spread pairs incredibly well with salty items. Try using it in a prosciutto sandwich on toasted whole grain bread.

Make a healthy dessert by spreading it on fresh sliced apples or pears.

You can also use this spread as a dip. You can add a little more cream if you want a more dippable consistency. Use it for pita chips or fresh veggies.

If you desire a more tangy spread, use 1 1/4 pounds of goat cheese and omit the natural cream cheese.

The Best Food Processor For Making Goat Cheese Spread

This is the kind of kitchen task where a good food processor and a not so good one will really stand apart. A quality machine will handle this job with ease, effortlessly giving you the creamy spread you desire. A cheaper model with a poorly powered motor is not likely to fare as well. It will hop around the counter while it struggles to combine the thick ingredients. At best, this leads to the motor producing excess heat and in turn melting some of the cheese. At worst, it leads to motor failure. Neither situation is ideal.

To find the best food processor for making spreads and so much more, read honest customer reviews and a useful buying guide at FOOD PROCESSOR REVIEWS.

Heather Krasovec, creator of http://food-processor-reviews.net/, uses her extensive experience in food based industries to help consumers make the best choices when stocking their kitchens.

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