Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini Recipe

Slice and oil

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the baguette on a slight diagonal into 1/3-inch (approximately 8 mm) slices to yield about 18–20 slices. Place slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush one side of each slice lightly with extra-virgin olive oil (reserve a little oil) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Toast

Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 2–4 minutes until edges are golden and centers are crisp but not browned too dark. Remove and let cool slightly. If you prefer a crisper crostini, flip slices, brush the other side with remaining oil, and broil 30–60 seconds, watching carefully.

In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the fresh goat cheese, softened cream cheese, heavy cream, lemon juice, black pepper and fine sea salt. Process until completely smooth and airy, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. If the mixture seems too thick for easy spreading, add up to 1 tablespoon more heavy cream and pulse until you reach a thick, pipeable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as desired.

Transfer whipped goat cheese to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or to a small bowl for spreading. Refrigerate if not using immediately; allow to come closer to room temperature before assembling so it is soft enough to spread easily.

Place chopped dried figs and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until figs soften and liquid reduces, about 10–12 minutes.

Add granulated sugar and continue to simmer gently for another 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until mixture thickens and most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract. If you prefer a smoother jam, let the mixture cool slightly and pulse 3–6 times in a food processor or with an immersion blender to reach desired texture.

Cool the jam to room temperature. The jam will thicken more as it cools. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator if making ahead (keeps up to 2 weeks).

Warm the honey very gently in a small saucepan over the lowest heat setting or in a microwave-safe bowl for 10–15 seconds until pourable but not hot. Add the fresh rosemary sprigs and let steep for 10–15 minutes to infuse. Remove rosemary sprigs (or leave one sprig for garnish) and set honey aside. For a stronger rosemary flavor, steep up to 30 minutes while the honey cools slightly.

Spread or pipe approximately 1–1.5 tablespoons of whipped goat cheese onto each crostini slice, leaving a small border for presentation.

Top each cheese-covered crostini with about 1 teaspoon of fig jam. If jam is thick, warm slightly to make it easier to spoon.

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of rosemary honey over each crostini (adjust to taste).

Garnish each crostini with a small pinch of micro herbs (roughly 2–3 microgreens per crostini), a light sprinkle of finely chopped fresh rosemary if using, a crack of black pepper, and a few flakes of Maldon sea salt.

Arrange on a platter and serve immediately. If preparing a short time ahead, assemble no more than 20–30 minutes before serving to keep crostini crisp; keep assembled crostini on a single layer at room temperature.