I’m totally obsessed with this roast cherries and whipped goat’s cheese dip. It makes the perfect summer appetizer to serve with toasted baguette. Thyme, olive oil and balsamic create a flavour-packed sauce to drizzle over the cherries with honey. This recipe comes togehter in 25 minutes with very little hands on time.

A tray of oasted cherries with thyme, balsamic and olive oil

Cherries are quite savoury flavoured in this dish. The honey drizzled at the end adds a pop of sweetness it needs against the tangy goat’s cheese.

You can spread the whipped goat cheese direclty onto the toasted baguette and top it with the roasted cherries to make delicious crostini as I did with my tomato and basil crostini with whipped goat’s cheese.

Whipped goats chees and roast cherries crostini with thyme

These types of effortless recipes are exactly what I’m looking for over the festive season and summer holidays. You can see my recipe for whipped feta with roasted tomatoes and garlic recipe.

Roast cherries and whipped goat’s cheese dip recipe

How to make roasted cherries and whipped goat’s cheese dip

Both the roast cherries and the whipped feta can be made in advance and plated just before serving.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and pit the cherries with a cherry pitter or cut them in half and remove the pip.
In a small baking dish add the cherries and thyme. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until blistered and starting to burst. Remove the tray from the oven and take out the thyme stalks. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To make the whipped goat’s cheese, add the goat’s cheese/cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest and olive oil to a bowl of a small food processor or power blender and whizz for 1- 2 minutes until smooth. The length of time this takes will depend on the appliance.
To plate up, spread the whipped goat cheese over the base of a flat serving plate (about the size of a fish plate). Swirl to make grooves over the surface.
Remove the cooked thyme stalks, and spoon over the roasted cherries and any olive oil/balsamic from the pan.
Drizzle with honey scatter over the fresh thyme and season with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.
To make griddle-fried baguette slices, brush slices of baguette with olive oil and fry in a griddle pan until golden on both sides.

A bowl of cherries and bread for Roast cherries and whipped goat’s cheese dip recipe

A few more recipes with goat’s cheese

Baked goat’s cheese cigars with honey & thyme

Apricots stuffed with goat’s cheese wrapped in bacon

Caramelised shallot and goat’s cheese quiche with bacon

Caramelised onion tart with whipped goat’s cheese and ricotta

Crunchy green salad with goat’s cheese and mixed seed praline

Pizza with grilled aubergine and goat’s cheese

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:20

Ingredients

250-300 gms – Fresh cherries pitted
4-6 small sprigs of thyme
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 Tbs Balsamic vinegar optional
100 gms Chevin creamy goats cheese
180 gms full fat cream cheese
Zest from ½ a lemon
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive oil

To serve

A drizzle of honey aprox 2 Tbsp
A a sprinkle of picked fresh thyme leaves
Griddle fried baguette slices with olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Both the roast cherries and the whipped feta can be made in advance and plated just before serving.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
In a small baking dish add the cherries, and thyme. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until blistered and starting to burst. Remove the tray from the oven and take out the thyme stalks. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To make the whipped goats cheese, add the goats cheese/chevin, cream cheese, lemon zest and olive oil to a bowl of a small food processor or power blender and whizz for 2 -3 minutes until smooth. The length of time this takes will depend on the appliance.
To plate up, spread the whipped goats cheese over the base of a flat serving plate (about the size of a fish plate). Swirl to make grooves over the surface.
Remove the cooked thyme stalks, and spoon over the roasted cherries and any olive oil/balsamic from the pan.
Drizzle with honey and scatter over the fresh thyme and season with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.
To make griddle fried baguette slices, brush slices of baguette with olive oil and fry in a griddle pan until golden on both sides.