Can I even just tell you guys how much I love appetizers? It’s just my favorite. A cocktail party is my dream. Tapas is so much fun. I just love having lots of little dishes, especially for entertaining. My favorite gatherings I’ve hosted have been ones where we just serve picky food.
So, here’s a new idea for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table – goat cheese crostini topped with apple cider cranberry sauce!
These crostini are toasted in a pan with butter, giving them a gentle crunch with a soft middle. The creaminess of the goat cheese balances the tang in the cranberry sauce. And then, there’s the cranberry sauce. Sweet. Tangy. A little warm, with a hint of cinnamon.
So, you’ll make the whipped goat cheese first and set it aside. Then the cranberry sauce, which literally takes 10 minutes. Then, toast the bread when you’re just ready to serve. There’s nothing like buttered bread that’s still warm!
Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce and Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- 1/4 c soft goat cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 lb fresh cranberries
- 1/2 c apple cider
- 1 c sugar
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 french baguette, sliced in 3/4" – 1" rounds
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Combine goat cheese and heavy cream in a stand mixer with the whipping attachment or a hand mixer.
- Whip until the goat cheese is light and fluffy; set aside.
- In a sauce pot, combine cranberries, cider, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and cinnamon.
- Stir cranberry mixture over medium heat until it becomes a jelly-like consistency. If you like smooth cranberry sauce, use a stick blender to get a smoother consistency.
- Note, the cranberry sauce will foam up. This is normal, just keep stirring!
- Once the cranberry sauce has reached the jelly-like consistency, remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter.
- Add the sliced baguette to the melted butter and toast over medium heat until it reaches desired toastiness.
- To assemble, top toasted baguette with goat cheese and cranberry sauce.
