Nut and Cheddar Ball

Serves 40 small balls, or 1 large ball for 12 guests

ingredients

1 8-ounce brick cream cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger
A pinch allspice
1/8 teaspoon (2 pinches) ground nutmeg
1 package shredded cheddar cheese (10 ounces)
1/2 jar mango chutney, (4 ounces) available in condiment aisle or 1/3 cup mincemeat pie filling (available in baking aisle)
1 cup macadamia or cashew nuts
A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

1
Soften cream cheese and butter in microwave for 45 seconds on the “defrost” setting.
2
Add it to the bowl of a food processor along with the ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cheddar, and chutney or mincemeat. Pulse until combined. Scrape mixture into a glass bowl, cover and chill until firm or overnight.
3
Before serving, chop nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Dump onto a plate and mix with the parsley.
4
Remove cheese mixture from fridge. One heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture at a time, shape the cheese into balls then roll them in the nut and parsley mixture. Or, as an alternative, form all of the cheese mixture into a large ball or two medium-size balls and coat with nuts.
5
Serve larger cheese balls as a spread, with assorted crackers and flat breads alongside.