Fruit-Shaped Cheese Balls

Enjoy these fruit shaped cheese ball dip – perfect to serve with crackers. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

August 23, 2010

ounces blue cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)

container (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar cold-pack cheese food

packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Paprika

1/3

cup grated Parmesan cheese

drops yellow food color, if desired

stick cinnamon

Lemon leaf

Vegetable oil

Brown paper

Crackers, if desired

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1

Mix blue cheese, cheese spread, cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl with fork until blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours until chilled.
2

Divide cheese mixture in half. Shape 1 half into a ball on waxed paper. Sprinkle another piece of waxed paper with paprika. Roll cheese ball in paprika, coating completely. Mold into apple shape.
3

Shape other half of cheese mixture into a ball on waxed paper. Shake Parmesan cheese and food color in covered container until cheese is evenly colored. Sprinkle another piece of waxed paper with cheese. Roll cheese ball in Parmesan cheese, coating completely. Mold into pear shape.
4

Make small depression in apple and pear for stem ends. Cut 2 small pieces from cinnamon stick. Insert cinnamon stick pieces for apple and pear stems. Insert lemon leaf in apple. Brush oil over small piece of brown paper; cut into leaf shape. Insert leaf in pear. Serve with crackers.

Instead of making fruit-shaped cheese balls, make 2 round balls and roll each in 1/3 cup finely chopped nuts.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 2 weeks or in freezer up to 4 weeks. If frozen, unwrap cheese ball about 1 hour before serving and let stand at room temperature to thaw. Or thaw loosely wrapped frozen cheese ball in refrigerator at least 8 hours.