Pine cone cheese appetizer

I had been keeping an eye on these pine cone cheese appetizer for a few years. They were always on my first list of appetizers to do for Christmas, but then, if it happens to you like me, if you have a list of 20 things to make then 5, you end up putting it off to the following year.This year I made them … twice!

My son and my daughter-in-law returned from Brazil and we had a lunch that brought together several occasions – and we repeated holiday menus. And as we ate all the cheese cones both times, I decided to publish them right away, also because I don’t think it’s an exclusively Christmas appetizer.

We serve them accompanied by different types of bread and everyone chose how to eat it. You can add crackers, carasau bread, sliced and toasted white bread, etc. Use your imagination.

I found this recipe in the LivingLocurto blog, and I changed a little bit, as I decreased the amount of mayonnaise and omitted the dill because I can’t find it easily and I must admit that I didn’t miss it.

Ingredients:

• 8.82 oz Philadelphia (or other cream cheese)
• 2.82 oz light mayonnaise
• 5 slices of bacon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• pepper
• about 4.4 oz of shelled but unpeeled almonds
• rosemary to decorate

Preparation:

1. Put the almonds on the baking tray lined with parchment paper and brown them in the oven at 320°F for about twenty minutes. Then keep them aside.
2. Take 5 thin slices of bacon (the thinner they are, the better) and put them on a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, until crispy (turn them halfway through cooking). From the pan, place them on absorbent paper so that they lose any excess oil. After they have cooled, shred the bacon slices.
3. Put the Philadelphia in a bowl and add the mayonnaise, the chopped bacon, chives and a little pepper to taste. After mixing well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. The next day, with the help of a spoon, separate the mixture in two and create a pine cone shape for each half, placing them on a serving plate. Add the almonds one by one arranging them so that they resemble pine cones. Add some rosemary branches to decorate.
5. Serve with bread and buon appetito!