Are you tired of me saying it yet? Talking about how much I adore salty paired with sweet? I hope not, because you’re in for a big dose of it today.
This past weekend we made our way to our friend’s annual holiday company Christmas party. No, I’m not moonlighting on the side for their business—Lord knows I’ve tried—but we’ve been really good friends for a few years and somehow we’ve weaseled our way into getting an invite each year.
Maybe it’s because we’re helpers in the kitchen—during that last minute flurry of panic before the guests start rolling in, lending a helping hand. But since they always have it so well put together, I think its just because we are so much dang FUN! And these guys, well they go all out so it definitely isn’t a chore to whoop it up and have a good time.
This year I was asked to give my opinion on the menu. Now, Sherrie is an amazing cook and party giver, so she really doesn’t need any help from me. But since I’m a bone fide food blogger (ahem, cue smoke and mirrors) people seem to think I know what works when it comes to food.
In my opinion when it comes to feeding a crowd, I like to make it plentiful and keep it simple. And it doesn’t get much simpler than melted bread and cheese to keep people happy.
This recipe spruces up the flavors of traditional crostini with my go-to, keep in my pantry for any emergency, fig preserves. This jar has made its way onto more appetizers than I can count: almost always as a version of this cheese and spread combo, either served with crackers, baked on puff pastry with apples and nuts or simply slathered on a warm slice of sourdough.
This time around I’m loading up a thinly sliced baguette then topping it with shredded cheese, a dollop of the fig preserves, a second helping of a strong, slightly dry and salty blue, and then a drizzle of sweet honey. Adding just one more twist to your mouth is a few specks of rosemary.
I used a mix of an aged, thus dryer, asiago—you can try parmesan if it’s easier to come by—with a stronger, slightly nutty farm cheese, like gruyere. Feel free to try a milder cheese such as fontina or swiss if that suits your taste better.
For a crowd, I assemble the crostini on several baking sheets, multiplying the recipe for the number of guests. You can load 27-30 crostini per baking dish, prepared well before the party and refrigerated. Then pop them into the oven once your guests arrive and continue and add fresh, hot treats throughout the cocktail hour.
Make sure to layer the cheese on the bread before the jam if you are making these ahead of time. The cheese acts as a barrier against the jam’s moisture and potentially soggy bread slices. As such, choose a firmer bread like sourdough rather than a lighter french bread.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Fig Spread and Cheese Crostini Appetizer
Ingredients
- 12 baguette slices cut about ¼" thick
- 1 ½ cups grated cheese , such as farm cheese or gruyere
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ⅓ cup fig spread
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread baguette slices on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper or foil.
- Top baguette slices with grated cheese, then a teaspoon or so of fig spread, then blue cheese crumbles. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese has melted and edges of baguettes are golden. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey and top with rosemary leaves.
Nutrition
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Made your crostini apps for a cocktail party I hosted last night and they are to die for! PERFECT combination!!! Love how easy they were to make ahead and how different they are from the average party fare! Thank you SO much for the recipe… it will be one of my “go-to’s” for years to come!
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Tom and Jerry’s…..a tradition when visiting relatives in Wisconsin…yum!
Peppermint hot chocolate
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Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa mix from Starbucks. It’s like a melted candybar without too much sweetness. And it has to be made with milk!
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Peppermint hot chocolate with a splash of coffee and homemade whip with crushed peppermints on top!! So comforting on a cold Michigan evening! Those mugs are so adorable!
Bailey’s with coffee and whipped cream with red and green sprinkles…..YUM
Hot cocoa is a must!
Homemade eggnog & hot apple cider are a must for me!
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Glug is my favorite drink at x-mas
I’m Jewish – I don’t think we have Holiday drinks. Um, matza ball soup in a cup?
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I think my favorite thing to drink these last few holiday seasons has been Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate!
Merry Christmas. I love a tom and jerry or hot buttered rum, but actually have a hot apple cider w/cinnamon stick.
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Hard decision. Probably hot spiced wine or eggnog.
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My favorite Christmas drink is a big mug of hot cocoa with whipped cream on Christmas morning! :)
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Eggnog, but not with alcohol and balanced just right with spices. :)
Egg Nog, so rich, decadent and delish !
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Peppermint hot chocolate!
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LOVING those mugs! They are absolutely adorable :) My favorite thing to drink at Christmastime is Spiced Eggnog with a hint of rum. So tasty!
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I’m already your friend on Facebook. Thanks for crushing on us bloggers- I love your enthusiasm for it!
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My favorite drink at Christmas time is eggnog! Love that stuff and I have the rest of the winter to drink hot cocoa :)
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My favorite thing to drink around christmas time is hot cocoa …i find it comforting :)
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My favorite thing to drink at Christmas time is homemade Hot Cocoa with Peppermint.
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Newsletter, done!
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Usually hot cocoa. But with my stress level this year, anything with alcohol will do!
following your pins on pinterest! LOVE!!!
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I make an eggnog recipe that was given to me by a lovely woman back in the 1960’s..We were living in Panama at the time and she was so gracious to share it with me. It incorporates heavy cream and whipped cream which just makes it over the top
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I love to drink Pumpkin spice latte!!!
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I like mulled cider and eggnog.
My favorite drink is christmas chai tea
I WANT these fig crostini :)
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I love hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps at Christmas time . . . even more fun in a very cool mug!!
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I love peppermint hot chocolate or peppermint mochas during the holidays
I love drinking water. I know, laugh away, but it’s the only drink I like
I love drinking eggnog at Christmas!
This looks insanely delicious!!! I love salty and sweet.
I will never tire of salty and sweet! These crostini sound incredible. My favorite thing to drink around the holidays is hot tea with lemon and bourbon.
I love drinking egg nog :)
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I love drinking hot chocolate!
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Favorite thing to drink = the Nor’easter! (http://pinterest.com/pin/99290366754216543/)