Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini with Cranberry Agrodolce

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8-10 servings

These are the kind of holiday bite people hover around the tray for. Tangy whipped goat cheese on crisp olive oil crostini, topped with a sweet-tart cranberry agrodolce that’s glossy, jammy, and deeply festive. They look gorgeous, take almost no time, and taste like December.

Ingredients: 

For the Crostini:

• 1 baguette, thinly sliced on a diagonal

• 3-4 TBSP olive oil

• Flaky salt

For the Whipped Goat Cheese

• 8 oz goat cheese, like chevre, at room temp

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temp

• 2-3 TBSP heavy cream

• 1-2 TBSP honey

• 1 TBSP lemon juice

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• Kosher salt

For the Cranberry Agrodolce

• 1 cup fresh cranberries

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 2 TBSP sugar

• 1 small shallot, finely minced

• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary

• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme

• A few sprigs thyme, for garnish

Directions: 

Crostini:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt.

2. Bake until golden-brown and crispy, flipping halfway through, 8-10 minutes.

Whipped Goat Cheese

1. In a food processor or blender, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey. Blend until completely smooth  and fluffy, scraping down as needed. 

2. Add cream 1 TBSP at a time until it reaches a silky, spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cranberry Agrodolce

1. In a small pot, combine cranberries, vinegar, maple syrup, sugar, shallot, herbs, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

2. Cook 6-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries soften and burst and the liquid thickens to a glossy, jammy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Allow to cool completely.

Assembly

1. Spread or pipe whipped goat cheese onto each crostini. Spoon cranberry agrodolce on top. Finish with a few fresh thyme leaves.