Diamond Inlay Elegant Appetizer (Printer View)

Cream cheese ring with caviar or tapenade center, perfect for upscale gatherings.

# What you'll need:

→ Cream Cheese Layer

01 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 tbsp sour cream
03 - 1 tsp lemon juice
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Center Diamond

05 - 1.5 oz black caviar (luxury option)
06 - 1.5 oz black olive tapenade (vegetarian option)

→ Garnish & Serving

07 - 1 tbsp finely chopped chives or dill
08 - Crackers, blinis, or toasted baguette slices

# Method:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl. Blend until smooth and fluffy.
02 - Set an approximately 3-inch diameter round cookie cutter or ring mold onto the serving platter.
03 - Using a spoon or piping bag, pipe a thick, even ring of the cream cheese mixture along the inside edge of the mold, leaving the center empty.
04 - Spoon the caviar or tapenade carefully into the center space, smoothing it into a diamond shape.
05 - Gently lift the ring mold off to reveal a defined diamond inlay surrounded by the cream cheese ring.
06 - Sprinkle with chopped chives or dill and serve immediately with crackers, blinis, or toasted baguette slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes far more sophisticated than the 15 minutes it takes to make, which means you can actually enjoy your own party.
  • The contrast between creamy and briny is genuinely addictive, and people will ask for the recipe even though they'll be surprised how simple it is.
02 -
  • The cream cheese must be truly softened or you'll fight it the entire time; hard cream cheese tears and creates lumps that no amount of stirring fixes.
  • Assemble this as close to serving time as possible if you're using caviar, because time and air are its enemies, but the cream cheese version holds beautifully for a couple of hours.
03 -
  • Substitute goat cheese for a tangier, more complex flavor that pairs beautifully with tapenade and adds an unexpected edge.
  • A piping bag fitted with a large round tip gives you more control than a spoon and creates a more professional-looking ring, which matters more than you'd think for the visual impact.
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