Equipment
Ingredients
Cheese Spread
- 100 g roquefort cheese, room temperature
- 50 g creme fraiche, chilled
- black pepper, freshly ground
Toasts and Garnish
- 150 g whole wheat baguette, sliced into 1.5 cm rounds
- 40 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 20 g honey, warmed slightly for drizzling
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 101 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 196 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 10 mg
- Potassium
- 69 mg
- Calcium
- 68 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 71 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 11 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Scatter the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove and let cool.
Arrange the whole wheat baguette slices on the same baking sheet. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 5 to 7 minutes until the edges are crisp but the centers retain a slight chew.
In a mixing bowl, crumble the room-temperature Roquefort. Add the creme fraiche and black pepper. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth but retaining a few small blue cheese crumbles for texture.
Spread roughly 12 grams of the Roquefort mixture evenly onto each cooled whole wheat toast.
Top the coated toasts with the toasted walnuts. Drizzle lightly with honey and garnish with fresh thyme leaves before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The inherent sharpness and high salt content of Roquefort requires careful balancing. The fat in the creme fraiche mellows the bite, while the honey provides a necessary sweet contrast.
- Do not skip toasting the walnuts. Raw walnuts have astringent tannins on their skin; toasting transforms these into robust, earthy flavors that stand up to the blue cheese.
- If your honey has crystallized, place the jar in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes to restore its flow for a delicate, even drizzle.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the cheese spread separately in an airtight container. Assemble just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Cheese spread is too loose or runny
Cause: Overmixing or using a low-fat dairy alternative
Fix: Chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up before spreading
Prevention: Use full-fat creme fraiche and fold gently rather than vigorously beating
Walnuts taste bitter
Cause: Nuts were over-toasted or rancid before toasting
Fix: Cannot be fixed, must use a fresh batch of walnuts
Prevention: Store walnuts in the freezer to prevent rancidity and monitor closely while toasting
Cultural Context
Roquefort is often referred to as the King of Cheeses in French gastronomy, holding the first AOC designation awarded in 1925. The classic pairing of pungent sheep milk blue cheese, earthy walnuts, and rustic whole wheat grain reflects the agricultural heritage of Southern France.
