Frederic Melton
The key lime cheese ball is a versatile dessert that can be served in a variety of ways. It is a popular choice for those who enjoy the tangy-tart sweetness of key lime and the creamy texture of cheese. While some prefer to serve it as a dip with animal crackers, Teddy Grahams, or cinnamon graham crackers on the side, others form it into a ball and roll it in graham cracker crumbs before serving with extra crackers, baked croissants, or pound cake. For a unique twist, you can even serve it with oven-baked flour tortillas sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The key lime cheese ball can also be used as a base for creating other desserts such as key lime pie bites, strawberry lime mini trifles, or creamy key lime cheesecake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Taste | Tangy, tart, sweet |
| Texture | Soft, gooey |
| Serving suggestions | Graham crackers, animal crackers, Teddy Bear graham crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, croissant, pound cake, oven-baked flour tortillas with cinnamon sugar, tortilla crispies, shortbread cookies |
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What You'll Learn
Cinnamon Graham Crackers
To make cinnamon graham crackers, you can follow these steps:
Ingredients:
- Cinnamon graham crackers
- Sugar
- Melted butter
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and blend until they turn into fine crumbs.
- Add sugar and melted butter to the food processor or blender and pulse a few times until well blended. The mixture should have a texture similar to wet sand.
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Make sure to press it down firmly so that the crust is packed and sturdy.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until dry and golden brown.
- Once the crust is baked, you can add your favourite key lime filling on top. For a key lime cheese ball, simply roll the ball in the cinnamon graham cracker crumbs and serve.
Some people also like to add a pinch of salt and cinnamon to their graham cracker crust for an extra flavour boost. You can also use plain graham crackers and add ground cinnamon to taste. If you're feeling adventurous, try making a key lime pie with a graham cracker crust, or even key lime bars for a tasty summer treat!
So, the next time you're looking for something to serve with your key lime cheese ball, consider whipping up a batch of cinnamon graham crackers. They're sure to be a hit!
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Baked Croissants
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for rolling/shaping
- Sugar
- Salt
- Yeast
- Milk
- Egg
- Heavy cream
Method
Start by making the dough. Cut the butter into four 1-tablespoon pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. With a stand or handheld mixer, turn it on to low-medium speed to gently combine the ingredients for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the milk. Once all the milk is added, turn the mixer up to medium speed and begin to knead the dough.
Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Cut the packet of dough in half. Wrap and refrigerate or freeze one half. Roll the other half into a 13" x 18" rectangle. Trim the edges about 1/4" all the way around with a ruler and pizza cutter. Cut the dough into thirds lengthwise and in half down the center. This will give you six 4" x 9" pieces. Cut these pieces diagonally to get triangles and stretch them gently to elongate them. Cut a 1" notch in the center of the base of each triangle. Take the two inside corners of the notch and roll them up toward you, curving the base of the dough toward the tip. Make sure the tip ends up under the bottom of the croissant. Place the shaped pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet, curving the ends toward each other.
Place the baking sheets inside the oven and let the croissants proof until they’re about doubled in size, extremely puffy, and jiggly, which should take around 2 to 2½ hours. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and carefully uncover them, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes while you heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, stir the egg yolk and heavy cream until streak-free. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the smooth surfaces of each crescent with the yolk and cream mixture, doing your best to avoid the cut sides with exposed layers of dough.
Transfer the sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets and switch racks, and continue to bake until the croissants are deeply browned, another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these croissants as they are, or try filling them with ham and cheese, spinach, or pain au chocolate sticks.
Storage
Croissants are best within an hour or two of baking. After that, you can revive them by warming them in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Keep them wrapped airtight at room temperature.
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Pound Cake
To make a key lime pound cake, you can add key lime juice and zest to the batter, infusing the cake with a bright, citrusy flavour. The key lime pound cake is especially popular in South Florida, where key limes are abundant.
Ingredients:
- Flour
- Butter
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Milk
- Key lime juice
- Key lime zest
Directions:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan or a Bundt pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix.
- Finally, add the key lime juice and zest, and gently fold into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For an extra special treat, you can top the pound cake with a key lime cream cheese icing. To make the icing, simply beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar, key lime juice, zest, and a touch of vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
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Animal Crackers
When serving animal crackers with a key lime cheese ball, you can offer them as a standalone snack, allowing guests to enjoy the contrast in flavours and textures. Alternatively, you can get creative and use the animal crackers as a base or vessel for the cheese ball.
For a fun presentation, you can arrange the animal crackers artfully around the cheese ball, inviting guests to create their own bite-sized combinations. This approach adds a whimsical touch to your dessert spread and encourages guests to interact with the food.
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Shortbread Cookies
When making shortbread cookies to serve with a key lime cheese ball, it is essential to use key lime zest in the dough to add a bright pop of flavour. The key lime zest enhances the overall taste experience by providing a refreshing and vibrant citrus note that complements the richness of the butter and sugar in the cookies. The zest also adds a subtle bitterness that balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
The process of making these cookies is straightforward and begins with creaming butter and sugar, and, in some recipes, cornstarch and confectioners sugar until well combined. This step ensures a light and fluffy texture for the cookies. The key lime zest and juice are then added to the mixture, infusing the dough with a burst of citrus aroma and flavour.
After mixing the dough, it is shaped into a log, wrapped in parchment paper, and chilled in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up. This chilling step is crucial, as it helps the dough become easier to handle and slice. Once chilled, the log is sliced into cookies, which are then baked until golden.
To enhance the presentation and flavour of the cookies, they are often topped with a simple key lime frosting. This frosting is typically made by beating butter, cream cheese, and salt until smooth, and then adding key lime zest and powdered sugar to create a spreadable consistency. The frosting adds a delightful tanginess and a beautiful finishing touch to the cookies.
Overall, shortbread cookies are an excellent choice to serve with a key lime cheese ball. Their buttery texture and subtle sweetness complement the cheese ball's tanginess, and the addition of key lime zest and frosting takes the flavour experience to the next level.
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Frequently asked questions
Graham crackers, animal crackers, and Teddy Grahams are all good options to serve with a key lime cheese ball.
Oven-baked flour tortillas with cinnamon sugar are a tasty savoury option to serve with a key lime cheese ball.
You can serve a key lime cheese ball as a dip with crackers, shortbread cookies, or animal crackers.
Yes, you can use a key lime cheese ball mix to make key lime pie bites, strawberry lime mini trifles, or a creamy key lime cheesecake.
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours before forming it into a ball. You can add more graham cracker crumbs to the mixture to help it hold its shape.
