Description
Creamy cranberry whipped feta dip brings Mediterranean flavors to holiday appetizers. Tangy cheese meets sweet-tart cranberries in this simple, elegant spread perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (226 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (237 ml) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 12 tablespoons (360 ml) honey
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup (30 g) chopped pistachios
- Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Cranberry Sauce Creation: Combine whole cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, and nutmeg in a saucepan, heating over medium-high until the mixture reaches a vigorous boil.
- Compote Development: Reduce heat to medium-low, allowing cranberries to burst and thicken into a luxurious sauce, stirring occasionally until achieving a rich, jammy consistency.
- Cooling Preparation: Remove from heat and let the cranberry mixture cool to room temperature, concentrating its vibrant flavors and allowing natural thickening.
- Feta Whip Technique: Blend feta cheese, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and red pepper flakes in a food processor, pulsing until achieving a velvety, smooth texture with no visible chunks.
- Dip Assembly: Spread the whipped feta into a serving dish, creating an elegant base layer with gentle swooping motions.
- Flavor Layering: Artfully drizzle the cooled cranberry sauce over the feta, creating an enticing marbled pattern that showcases both textures and colors.
- Finishing Touches: Sprinkle chopped pistachios across the surface, drizzle honey, and garnish with delicate thyme leaves to elevate the dip’s visual and gustatory appeal.
- Serving Suggestion: Accompany with crostini, crackers, or warm pita bread for an irresistible appetizer experience.
Notes
- Optimize Cranberry Cooking: Stir constantly to prevent burning and ensure even caramelization of the sauce, watching for natural berry bursting which indicates perfect consistency.
- Achieve Creamy Feta Texture: Ensure feta and Greek yogurt are at room temperature for smoother blending, reducing potential graininess in the final whipped mixture.
- Balance Flavor Intensity: Adjust maple syrup and orange zest quantities to control sweetness and citrus notes, tasting and modifying as the cranberry sauce reduces.
- Presentation Pro-Tip: Allow cranberry sauce to cool completely before layering to maintain distinct color layers and prevent unwanted color bleeding into the white feta base.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg