This will be the star of the show on a cheeseboard for your next social gathering! With a lovely balance of flavours and a slight kick from the jalapenos, it’s quite easy to just keep on digging in.

50g coriander leaves and stems
20g baby spinach
50g almonds
60g vintage cheddar cheese, diced into 2cm cubes
1 garlic clove (5g)
250g cream cheese, at room temperature, roughly diced
50g fresh ricotta (from the deli counter at the supermarket)
80g sliced jalapeños (from a jar)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mild paprika

1. Place coriander and spinach in mixer bowl. Blitz for 4 seconds/speed 7/MC on. Scrape down bowl. Repeat.

2. Add almonds. Blitz for 3 seconds/speed 7/MC on. Transfer to a small bowl.

3. Weigh 30g of the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Add vintage cheddar and garlic. Blitz for 3 seconds/speed 7/MC on. Scrape down bowl.

4. Add cream cheese, ricotta, jalapeños, cumin and paprika. Process for 2 seconds/speed 5/MC on. Scrape down bowl. Repeat.

5. Lay a large piece of glad wrap (about 60cm long) on your kitchen counter. Place the coriander mixture from Step 1 onto the middle of the glad wrap, spreading out into a large circle.

6. Spoon cheese mixture onto the coriander, leaving about a 5cm border of coriander bare. Use your spatula to smooth out to a rough ball shape. Bring up the sides of the glad wrap to coat the sides of your ball. Twist glad wrap to enclose, shaping into a neat ball. Place (opening side down) on a small plate. Refrigerate for several hours, ideally overnight, before unwrapping and plating with crackers.

If spice isn’t your thing, be sure to check out my (also very delicious!) Festive Cheese Ball.