Whipped Goat Cheese with Candied Bacon
Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste
8
10 minutes
20 minutes
This quick-fix dip stars a tangy blend of goat cheese and cream cheese, but the real star of the show is Snake River Farms bacon cooked in a sweet, savory and slightly spicy caramel. Serve it as a dip with crackers, crudité or baguette toasts for the ultimate easy, but impressive start to any meal.
Ingredients
8 slices Snake River Farms bacon, uncooked
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons Hot Honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
8 oz. goat cheese, at room temp
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Crackers or baguette toasts, for serving
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the bacon strips into 1-inch pieces width-wise then add them to a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Cook the bacon until a majority of the fat has rendered, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat drippings.
In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, Hot Honey and rosemary with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the bacon is well-coated, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the bacon bits to the baking sheet and let them cool completely.
In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the goat cheese, cream cheese and olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until smooth and creamy. Transfer the whipped cheese onto a serving plate.
Top the whipped cheese with the candied bacon and serve with crackers or baguette toasts for dipping.