Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread

This Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread combines the tanginess of goat cheese with the sweetness of dried apricots and honey, and a pleasant floral aroma of lavender. So tasty and rich – and you will not find this flavour combination at your local grocery store!

Hello, folks! What’s up? I hope this week has been treating you well so far. Also, can you believe it’s the last week of August?! I certainly cannot! It’s not that I am tired of summer, but I am definitely not ready for fall yet. That’s okay, though. There are still several weeks of summer left. And trust me, I will use them properly by sharing as many summer recipes as I can.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into another lavender recipe. Yes, I know what you probably think about ALL the lavender ideas I have been sharing with you this summer. Please be strong for another two weeks or so, and you will be rewarded with recipes that don’t include lavender, haha.

Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread, anyone?

But Wait…Cheese and Lavender Together?

I have already mentioned the book “Cooking with Lavender” by Nancy Baggett on many occasions. It is the only book I have tried multiple recipes from and shared the results here. Perhaps the best part of the book is its section on culinary pairings. Before this book, I was not aware that lavender goes well with so many sweet and savoury ingredients.

• It pairs well with tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Nuts and lavender are also a great pairing.
• It goes well with pasta, more pasta, couscous (and more couscous), pearl couscous, and rice. Really, with all carbs, I think.
• Next, potatoes are an excellent pairing, too.
• Also, it pairs well with cheeses like ricotta and goat cheese (and more goat cheese).
• Chickpeas are another great pairing.
• And say what? Even with corn.
• Certainly, meat.
• And also with watermelons and melons.

So, our today’s combination is cheese or, specifically, goat cheese. Trust me, it’s delicious!

Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread

If you love sweet and savory goat cheese logs (i.e., with dried cranberries, blueberries, cinnamon, etc.), you should try this goat cheese log with dried apricots and lavender. After all, you will not find this combination of flavours at your local grocery store! Sweet and slightly tart apricots pair wonderfully with tangy goat cheese, honey, and lavender. It’s thick, rich, and incredibly delicious. You can enjoy this spread on bread, with crackers, or as a part of your cheese board.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread

To make this Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread, you will need only several simple ingredients:

• Soft and creamy Goat’s cheese – you will need a 300-gram log. Be sure to remove it from the fridge in advance for easy mixing.
• Dried apricots – add the flavour, sweetness, and a subtle tang. Look for apricots that are plump, pliable texture and a vibrant, orange-yellow color. Any varieties will work, but I prefer Turkish apricots, as they are super meaty, tasty, and soft.
• Dried lavender buds – minced or rubbed with your fingers. As a rule of thumb, it’s better to add less than more; otherwise, your recipe could have a perfume, soapy aroma. Be sure to use culinary-grade lavender. You can use fresh lavender buds from your garden, but be sure it’s a variety suitable for cooking; culinary lavender tends to have a mild aroma, less perfume-forward.
• Sour cream – enriches and thins up the texture of this spread. I used full-fat sour cream (18 %), but you can use a lighter version.
• Honey – works as a sweetener, adds flavour, and also binds all ingredients together.

Possible Additions and Variations

• Add in some toasted and chopped nuts such as almonds, pistachios, or walnuts for a lovely crunch, added flavour, and nutritional value.
• Don’t like or have apricots? Dried figs or cranberries will also work nicely.
• Stir in some spices like vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, or a blend of spices.
• Swap honey for maple syrup or other sweetener of your choice.
• Add some lemon zest for added flavour and freshness.
• Not a lavender fan? You can surely skip it to enjoy this tasty spread.
• Use some Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for added nutritional value.

Try More Goat Cheese Spreads

Be sure to check more similar recipes made with goat cheese:

• Lavender Vanilla Goat Cheese Spread with Honey and Lemon
• White Chocolate Lavender Goat Cheese Spread
• Lavender Goat Cheese Spread (With Honey and Peach Jam)
• Rainbow Goat Cheese Spread Havoc In The Kitchen (For PRIDE Month!)
• Rose Jam Goat Cheese (With Rose Petal Jam)

I hope you like this apricot goat cheese spread with lavender, and you will try it. If you try it, please let me know in the comment section of this post below, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

This Apricot Lavender Goat Cheese Spread combines the tanginess of goat cheese with the sweetness of dried apricots and honey, and a pleasant floral aroma of lavender.

Course: Cheese Dips and Spreads, Sweet Spreads and PreservesDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 2 votes

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Servings

8-12

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 300 g soft plain goat’s cheese

• 1/2 to 2/3 cup (70-100 g) dried apricots, roughly chopped

• 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 g) sour cream
  – I used full-fat (18%)

• a small pinch (about 1/4 tsp. for a subtle aroma to 1/2 tsp. for a more pronounced aroma) dried lavender,
  minced or rubbed

• 1 tbsp. (20 g) honey

Directions

• Remove the goat cheese from the fridge 30 minutes prior to making this recipe foe easier blending.
• In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, sour cream, apricots, honey, and minced lavender buds.
• Using a regular or an immersion blender (I find the latter to be more convenient for this recipe), pulse until the desired consistency, making sure to stop and scrape the bowl sides as needed.) Try and adjust the flavour by adding more lavender or honey. The consistency of this spread will be thick and chunky; if you prefer a thinner consistency, you will need to add more sour cream.
• the flavour by adding more lavender or honey.
  
  Transfer the spread to a container and enjoy room temperature or slightly chilled, garnished with more apricots (optional). The spread will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy!