19 December 2013

It's time for this month's Improv Challenge.


This month's assigned ingredients were white chocolate and lime.   Mmm.  Definitely dessert ingredients, which is perfect for this time of year.  I had a few ideas rolling around in my head, but then something reminded me of a dessert cheeseball.  Have you ever had a dessert cheeseball?  My husband and I used to host a St. Nicholas Day open house every year when we lived in Michigan, and every year I went to Hallmark where they sell these little mixes for dessert cheeseballs.  You mix the contents of the package with cream cheese and butter and then roll it in some sort of coating.  Then a few years ago I tried making one of my own, a Peanut Butter Cheeseball.  That was awesome!  So I decided it was time to make another dessert cheeseball.  I googled "white chocolate lime cheeseball" and didn't come up with anything with those specific flavors, so I took a recipe for a White Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheeseball and adapted it. I added lime zest and juice to the cheeseball and used almonds instead of hazelnuts on the outside.  Here's how I did it.

White Chocolate and Lime Cheeseball

Ingredients:
⅓ cup white chocolate chips
2 tbsp corn syrup
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1½ tsp lime zest, finely grated
1 tsp lime juice
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup sliced almonds, very finely chopped

Directions:
Put the white chocolate chips and corn syrup in a small glass bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds or until the white chocolate has completely melted.  Stir well.  In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and the white chocolate mixture until completely smooth.  Stir in the lime zest and lime juice.  Dump in the powdered sugar and stir to combine.  Form into a ball shape in the bowl and refrigerate mixture for a couple of hours to set up.

When the cheese ball has firmed up, remove it from the bowl, shape into a ball, and then roll in chopped almonds.  Place on a serving platter or large plate and serve it with graham crackers, pretzels, or anything else you like.

Makes lots of servings.




This was a great success.  I love the little flecks of bright green inside there.  The lime flavor is very subtle; it's definitely not overpowering.  Just sweet with a hint of lime.


I served this with graham crackers, but pretzels would be really good too.  Especially if you like that whole sweet and salty thing.  Another option would be apple slices if you wanted to make it a little healthier.  Any way you serve it, this would be a great addition to your next holiday gathering.

Be sure to check out all of the great white chocolate and lime recipes below and come back next month to see what fun thing I make with cheese and crackers!


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2 comments:

  1. I remember the very first key lime cheeseball I ever tasted. It was soooooo delicious! And then I found out it was a very expensive packet of flavoring from an exclusive house party name... I've been dying to find a yummy recipe ever since! Can't wait to try yours!

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  2. I almost made this, too. It sounds amazing and my kids would have loved it.

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