Goat cheese makes a lovely base for fresh herbs, carrying their flavor and punctuating their brightness with its gentle tang; in this spread, it tastes particularly mild because of the little bit of whipped cream folded in. Take the cheese out to soften before heading for the farmers market, and by the time you get back, it will be ready to mix with whatever herbs you've found there.
·Toasts can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
·Cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 min
Yield
Makes 40 hors d'oeuvres
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Divide baguette slices between 2 shallow baking pans. Lightly brush tops of slices with oil, then lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until toasts are crisp but not hard, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
Stir together goat cheese, herbs, shallot, and pepper. Season with salt.
Step 4
Beat cream with a whisk until it just holds soft peaks, then fold into cheese mixture. Serve with toasts.
