A Brie and Blue savory cheesecake (no bake) with toasted walnuts and honey is a perfect appetizer. Sliced into wedges and served with crackers or French bread; this is an appetizer your guests will truly enjoy!
It is well into July and I feel like I deserted my poor, dear blog. Unintended but totally necessary, as you see my friends, I was welcoming the queen with very short notice.
Yes, my mother came to visit. You know the one that just turned 80, but doesn't look it.
She hasn't visited me without her male escort (my father), since Alex and Zoe were 5 years old.
And to what did I owe this visit? It was a dear, sweet puppy that enticed her.
We had a great time with queenly massages and perfect pedicures and a required stop at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
We even made a stop at the Savory Spice shop where the Queen bought truffle salt, za'atar and other queenly spices.
Denver's weather was totally uncooperative but the coolness felt good to the queen, who hails from very hot Phoenix weather.
I even celebrated her short, but sweet arrival, with a girl's happy hour where we ate this royal savory cheesecake appetizer that was quite fitting for a queen during tea time.
So fitting, we skipped the tea and drank champagne sangria. No. I don't have photos of that.
Folly, in this sense, was a new definition for me and this is how it's described:
"Folly": a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower or mock-Gothic ruin built in a large garden or park. I just hope this doesn't turn into a folly!
My job is to find old windows to put in.
The Manservant is even putting in a sliding barn door so I can open one entire side to the outside! I did save a few boards of graffiti that my darling kids left behind. This is one that is not X-rated.
I loved serving queenly slices of it to my friends on little individual plates. Each queen was given their own knife for spreading purposes.
With the addition of some dried fruit and crackers this made a delicious and elegant appetizer.
There are a myriad of ways one could jazz this up, but this was simplicity at its best.
Thank you Martha Stewart. I'm not sure when I ripped this recipe out of your magazine because it has been sitting in THAT drawer for a long while.
And of course that drawer is another project!
Easy and pretty, this savory cheesecake tastes like pretty should.
And we all know how good pretty tastes, don't we?
Please Pin and Share:
Recipe
Brie and Blue Savory No Bake Cheesecake with Toasted Walnuts and Honey
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 9-12 Servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
15 oz fresh goat cheese
4 oz mild blue cheese, such as gorgonzola dolce
1 9" wheel of Brie, chilled
1 c toasted walnut halves (I put mine in a pie pan and toast them at 350 until I smell them. I'm guessing about 10 minutes. Cool, before using.)
Topping:
½ c ruby port
2 T honey
Fresh thyme
2 c red seedless grapes sliced in half
Instructions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat goat and blue cheese until light and fluffy. This may take a few minutes.
Using a sharp, serrated knife slice Brie in half horizontally, gently easing the two halves apart. Spread ¾ c goat cheese mixture on bottom half of Brie. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Top with other half of Brie, cut side down, on top of walnuts.
Using a spatula, spread remaining goat cheese mixture over Brie. Chill 2 hours or even overnight.
Up to 1 hour before serving, combine port, honey and 2 sprigs of thyme in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until reduced by half- about 6 minutes. Add sliced grapes and cook 30 seconds more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer grapes to a small bowl to cool. Reduce remaining liquid until thickened, about 6 minutes more. This will become very syrupy. Remove from heat. If left to sit for too long this will become hard and difficult to drip over cheese as it will be like sticky candy.
Just before serving, arrange cake on a platter and arrange reserved grapes over top. Drizzle with port mixture. Top with thyme sprigs to achieve the pretty effect! Serve with dried fruits and an assortment of crackers.
Notes
Thanks Martha Stewart!
Prep time does not included chilling.
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
OMG I just cannot handle the pornography on this screen! It's too much...AWESOME! ha ha!
Abbe Odenwalder says
And you are too much, too, Gigi!
Carol at Wild Goose Mama says
I love love the pics of your Mom and the dog. Sooo precious. You are so lucky to still have your parents.
I am a HUGE cheesecake fan. Brie is my favorite cheese too. Perfect Recipe!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Well, this isn't that kind of cheesecake but it is very good! You will love this! My doggie is precious!
La Table De Nana says
You are such a lucky girl!
A mom!
A smiling happy mom:)
And what a beautiful cake..
I can't even tell you how much it bugs me..yes bugs me ..that I do not get your blog posts:(
Hope to make this Abbe!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Let me try unsubscribing you and then try again. Maybe it will work that way! I'll email you! I am a lucky girl, Monique and my kids still have both sets of grandparents. How lucky is that at 25? Thanks!
Biz says
Your Mom is like my Mom - she's turning 75 and I have to book stuff weeks in advance because she's so busy!
OMG. . .almost an all CHEESE appetizer! I may have peed my pants a bit when I saw it - so good!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Too funny, Biz! This is a good one! Even to serve to a Queen!
shannon weber says
your mom! how lovely that she got to come and hang out with you. and this cheesecake: i'd eat this all day long.
Abbe Odenwalder says
It is easy to munch on all day long. It was fun hanging out! Short and sweet is good!
SavoringTime in the Kitchen says
When I see beautiful recipes like these, I wish that I loved goat cheese! What a beautiful appetizer! What an adorable mother and your puppy has grown!
Abbe Odenwalder says
OK! Use cream cheese. But my guess is that mixed with the blue, you would never know the difference. I used to not like goat cheese, but I think there are so many varieties now, that they have changed since they were first introduced!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
Wow... this is what a call a happy bite. Great for parties and get-togethers because it's easy and quick to prepare and oh, so pretty.
Abbe Odenwalder says
It is a happy bite, Denise. And pretty. We must never forget the pretty!
Karen Harris says
I can't believe how much that puppy has gotten! He is beautiful an so is this cheesecake. Just right up my alley.
Abbe Odenwalder says
He has grown, Karen. Where has summer gone? We must catch up!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
The cheese looks wonderful and your mom adorable! I understand she needed to come and hug her grand-dog - our fur children are the best! So happy you had a good visit 🙂
Abbe Odenwalder says
They are the best, Tricia! Well, at least when the real ones aren't around! Thanks!
Liz Berg says
Your mom is lovely!!! And who wouldn't want to come hang out with you and Geordie---especially when you're serving dishes like this spectacular cheesecake 🙂
Abbe Odenwalder says
That she is Liz. We ate a lot of good food, so it is a good thing she doesn't come very often!
Libby says
Uh, o. I didn't know I was crowned. Thanks, my dear Abbe,for a wonderful few days. And kiss the sweet little boy, Geordie. Cheesecake was divine. Love, love. The Queen
Abbe Odenwalder says
Your whole life, Mom! Geordie did very well in his first obedience class, by the way!
Cheri Savory Spoon says
Hi Abbe, your mom looks like she has a lot of energy and is a lot of fun. So nice you got to spend time together, and the cheesecake looks like heaven on a plate, what a fabulous combination. Also I just know your extra room will be very special. Take care!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Can't wait to decorate it Cheri, but that's kind of like putting the cart before the horse. The good news is that he can't stand looking at unfinished projects, so I hope it will be finished soon! My mom is fun. MOST of the time!
Kitchen Riffs says
Champagne sangria sounds like a wonderful idea! I haven't seen the word "folly" used in that sense in ages. Thanks for reminding me of it! Glad you've been having a swell time, but we've missed you!
Abbe Odenwalder says
It is so nice to be missed in this big, crazy blogosphere. Thank you! The sangria was great. I guess I must recreate but drinks are your job!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Oh, Angie. I think she will print this comment and hang it on a wall! It was a great visit and a great cheesecake!
Angie Schneider says
Abbe, you serious that your mom is 80, not 60? Cool that she had a great time with your dog.
That's a dream cheesecake and I totally love that port grape topping.