Whipped goat cheese with Herbes de Provence is a tangy, herbaceous, restaurant-worthy appetizer you can make at home in minutes. Fresh chèvre and a little crème fraîche whip into something airy and luxurious, infused with our Calicutts Herbes de Provence — bloomed first in warm olive oil so the lavender and thyme taste vivid, never dusty — and brightened with fresh lemon. Spread it over roasted-garlic crostini and finish with thyme and a curl of lemon zest for an easy, elegant party appetizer. It’s perfect for entertaining, holiday gatherings, or a special wine night, and it can be whipped ahead and assembled just before serving. Creamy, fresh, and full of Provence-inspired flavor, this is the kind of bite guests remember.
Roast the garlic: slice the tops off the heads to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Cool, squeeze the cloves from their skins, and mash to a paste.
Bloom the herbs: warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat until it shimmers. Add the Herbes de Provence and stir for 60 seconds, until fragrant. Pull off the heat and let cool 5 minutes. (Don’t skip this — dried herbs in cold cheese taste dusty.)
Whip the cheese: in a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cold crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the cooled herb oil — herbs and all. Whip until silky, about 75–90 seconds. Taste and adjust the salt.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors settle and the texture firms up.
Toast the crostini: brush the baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and toast at 400°F for 6–8 minutes, until just golden. Cool.
Assemble: spread a thin layer of roasted garlic paste on each crostini, top with a generous dollop of whipped goat cheese, and finish with fresh thyme leaves, a curl of lemon zest, and a pinch of flaky salt. Assemble within an hour of serving so the crostini stay crisp.
Whipped Goat Cheese with Herbes de Provence
Jessica Hughes
Author:
Jessica Hughes
Servings
8
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
38 minutes
Whipped goat cheese with Herbes de Provence is a tangy, herbaceous, restaurant-worthy appetizer you can make at home in minutes. Fresh chèvre and a little crème fraîche whip into something airy and luxurious, infused with our Calicutts Herbes de Provence — bloomed first in warm olive oil so the lavender and thyme taste vivid, never dusty — and brightened with fresh lemon. Spread it over roasted-garlic crostini and finish with thyme and a curl of lemon zest for an easy, elegant party appetizer. It’s perfect for entertaining, holiday gatherings, or a special wine night, and it can be whipped ahead and assembled just before serving. Creamy, fresh, and full of Provence-inspired flavor, this is the kind of bite guests remember.
Ingredients
8 oz Fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1½ oz Crème fraîche, cold
2 Tbsp Olive oil, good quality
1 Tbsp Calicutts Herbes de Provence
Zest of 1 lemon
1½ tsp Fresh lemon juice
Flaky salt
2 Heads garlic
16 baguette rounds, plus olive oil and salt for the crostini
Fresh thyme leaves and lemon zest curls, for finishing
Directions
Roast the garlic: slice the tops off the heads to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Cool, squeeze the cloves from their skins, and mash to a paste.
Bloom the herbs: warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat until it shimmers. Add the Herbes de Provence and stir for 60 seconds, until fragrant. Pull off the heat and let cool 5 minutes. (Don’t skip this — dried herbs in cold cheese taste dusty.)
Whip the cheese: in a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cold crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the cooled herb oil — herbs and all. Whip until silky, about 75–90 seconds. Taste and adjust the salt.
Refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors settle and the texture firms up.
Toast the crostini: brush the baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and toast at 400°F for 6–8 minutes, until just golden. Cool.
Assemble: spread a thin layer of roasted garlic paste on each crostini, top with a generous dollop of whipped goat cheese, and finish with fresh thyme leaves, a curl of lemon zest, and a pinch of flaky salt. Assemble within an hour of serving so the crostini stay crisp.
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