Description

This Confit Garlic Cream Cheese combines slow-cooked, sweet and mellow garlic cloves with creamy, tangy cream cheese for a rich, flavorful spread. Perfect as a dip, on toast, bagels, or crackers, this recipe enhances your dishes with its smooth texture and aromatic taste. The confit garlic is gently cooked in olive oil to develop a deep sweetness that melds beautifully with fresh herbs and lemon juice for brightness.

Ingredients

Scale

Confit Garlic

1 head of garlic (about 10-12 cloves)
1/4 cup olive oil (enough to submerge garlic)

Cream Cheese Mixture

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Fresh herbs (optional, such as parsley, chives, or thyme)

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Instructions

Prepare the garlic: Peel the garlic cloves. For a milder flavor and easier skin removal, you may slice the cloves in half.
Cook the garlic: Place cloves and olive oil in a small saucepan, ensuring garlic is submerged. Heat over very low heat and cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft, tender, and golden but not browned.
Cool the garlic: Remove garlic from oil and let it cool to room temperature. Reserve the garlic-infused oil for later use in dressings or drizzling.
Mash the garlic: Use a spoon, fork, or food processor to mash the cooled garlic into a smooth paste.
Mix the cream cheese: In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, mashed confit garlic, lemon juice (if using), salt, and pepper. Blend with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth and creamy.
Add fresh herbs (optional): Stir in finely chopped herbs like parsley, chives, or thyme to add flavor complexity.
Chill and serve: Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to marry. Serve on crackers, toast, bagels, or as a vegetable dip.

Notes

Keep the garlic-infused olive oil for dressings, roasting vegetables, or drizzling over dishes for extra flavor.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste after chilling for best results.
For a smoother texture, use a food processor instead of mashing by hand.
This spread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Adding lemon juice is optional but brightens the flavor and balances the richness.