Description
A simple and elegant goat cheese appetizer featuring creamy goat cheese topped with a warm fig jam glaze, crunchy pecans, fresh thyme, and a hint of honey and balsamic vinegar. Served with crostini or crackers, this dish is perfect for entertaining or a quick gourmet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 300 g softened goat cheese (about 10 oz or 1 1/4 – 1 1/3 cups)
- 1/2 cup fig jam
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- crostini or crackers for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Goat Cheese: Spread the softened goat cheese onto a shallow bowl or plate and drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to add richness.
- Make the Fig Jam Glaze: In a small pot over medium heat, combine the honey, fig jam, and balsamic vinegar. Whisk constantly and warm the mixture for about 5 minutes until it is well blended and slightly thickened.
- Cool the Mixture: Remove the pot from heat and let the fig jam mixture cool slightly for about 5 minutes to prevent melting the cheese too much.
- Assemble the Appetizer: Drizzle or gently spread the cooled fig jam mixture over the goat cheese layer, ensuring even coverage for balanced flavor.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves and chopped pecans on top to add aromatic freshness and crunchy texture.
- Finish and Serve: Add a pinch of sea salt to taste and serve the appetizer alongside crostini or crackers for easy dipping and spreading.
Notes
- For homemade crostini, preheat oven to 400°F. Slice a baguette into 1-inch thick slices, brush one side with olive oil, place in single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes until toasted.
- To prepare the appetizer ahead of time, warm the fig jam glaze on the stove and cool completely. Spread over the goat cheese just before serving for best texture.
- Pecans can be substituted with chopped walnuts for a different nutty flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
