Name: Baked Goat Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 10 ounces goat cheese; 2 ounces cream cheese; 1 tablespoon honey, plus 2 teaspoons more for drizzling, divided; 1 small-to-medium garlic clove, cut into several pieces; ¼ teaspoon fine salt; 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (optional); For serving: Crusty sourdough or crostini or toasted pita wedges, berries, olives or tapenade, etc.

Ingredients

6 serv.

10 ounces goat cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon honey, plus 2 teaspoons more for drizzling, divided
1 small-to-medium garlic clove, cut into several pieces
¼ teaspoon fine salt
10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
For serving: Crusty sourdough or crostini or toasted pita wedges, berries, olives or tapenade, etc.

Instructions

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1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
2 In a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of the honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).
3 Process until the mixture comes together completely and is lightly whipped, about 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides and base as necessary. The mixture will ball up in the food processor and eventually smooth out. If in doubt, process a little longer.
4 Taste, and adjust as necessary—add another pinch of red pepper flakes for more heat, or another teaspoon or two of honey if you’d like it sweeter (we will drizzle it with more honey next, so the finished dip will be a little sweeter than you’re tasting now).
5 Transfer the dip to a small oven-safe baking dish with a 3- to 4-cup (1 quart) capacity. Spread it evenly across the base of the dish, with some texture remaining on top. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon of additional honey.
6 Bake the dip on the upper rack for 13 to 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden in places, and bubbling and puffed around the edges. Drizzle it with another teaspoon or so of honey, and let it cool for about 5 minutes (it’s hot). Serve with your desired accompaniments.