Ingredients
13 1/4 oz or 375g extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese
8 oz or about 225g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 small bunch chives (Mine was about 1/2 oz or 15g)
1 jalapeño (Mine was about 3/4 oz or 20g)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus extra for decorating, if desired
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
For decoration: One broccoli stalk - with leaves, if possible
To serve: Crackers of your choice or bread
Method
Grate your cheddar cheese into a large mixing bowl.
Finely mince your chives and garlic. Cut the stem end off of the jalapeño and remove the seeds, if you want to add just a little spice. If you like spicy food, by all means, leave the seeds in. Mince the jalapeño finely.
Add the softened cream cheese, the chives, garlic, jalapeño, smoked paprika and plain yogurt to the cheddar cheese.
Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Line a small round bowl with cling film and heap the cheese mixture in it. Press down with a spatula so the cheese fills the bottom of the lined bowl completely. Cover with the cling film and round out the top with your hands. It’s like playing with Play-Do again.
Set the covered cheese ball in the refrigerator for several hours so it will stiffen back up. I ended up leaving mine overnight because I got busy with other projects.
Remove the cheese ball from the bowl but leave it covered with the cling film. Press the ball into a pumpkin-like shape. Remember that pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes so don’t get too hung up on complete roundness or perfection.
When you are satisfied that it looks like the best pumpkin you can manage, unwrap the cling film and use a soft paint brush to brush a little smoked paprika in the grooves to enhance the look.
Cut the stem off your broccoli, keeping a couple of leaves attached, if possible. Cut what will be the top of your pumpkin stem at an angle. Set the stem on top of your cheese pumpkin ball and push it in just a little. Is that not the cutest thing!?
Serve with crackers or bread, and don’t forget to put out a knife so that folks can cut a piece off and spread the cheese ball.
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