Mini camembert amandine cheese balls

To ensure your canapés are full of flavour, marinate the Camembert in wine overnight. Spiced with cognac and paprika, then rolled in a crisp batter of flaked almonds, these mini morsels are an exciting alternative to cheese and crackers.

• makes

  30

• prep

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g camembert
• 500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine
• 70 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp cognac
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 80 g (1 cup) flaked almonds, toasted
• flat-leaf parsley sprigs and crispbread biscuits, to serve

Marinating time overnight

Chilling time 20 minutes

Instructions

Place cheese and wine in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Drain cheese and discard wine. Remove and discard the rind, then roughly chop cheese. Process with butter and cognac in a food processor until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cheese is slightly firm. Using damp hands, roll teaspoonfuls of cheese into balls, scatter with paprika, then roll in flaked almonds. Refrigerate until needed. Serve cheese balls on a plate with parsley and biscuits. Serve with individual waldorf salad.

As seen in Feast magazine, Mar 2012, Issue 7. 

Photography by Brett Stevens.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.