Diamond Inlay Appetizer (Print)

Creamy cheese appetizer with a central diamond of caviar or tapenade, perfect for sophisticated gatherings.

# Components:

→ Cream Cheese Layer

01 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 tbsp sour cream
03 - 1 tsp lemon juice
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Center Diamond

05 - 1.5 oz black caviar (optional for pescatarian)
06 - 1.5 oz black olive tapenade (vegetarian option)

→ Garnish & Serving

07 - 1 tbsp finely chopped chives or dill
08 - Crackers, blinis, or toasted baguette slices

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
02 - Place an 3-inch diameter round cookie cutter or ring mold on the serving platter.
03 - Using a spoon or piping bag, pipe a thick, even ring of the cream cheese mixture around the inside edge of the mold, leaving the center empty.
04 - Carefully spoon black caviar or olive tapenade into the center, smoothing to create a diamond shape.
05 - Gently remove the ring mold to display the clean central diamond shape.
06 - Sprinkle finely chopped chives or dill over the top for color.
07 - Present immediately with crackers, blinis, or toasted baguette slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Assembled in fifteen minutes but looks like you spent hours plotting it out.
  • The creamy ring gives you substance while the center stays uncompromisingly luxe, whether you go caviar or tapenade.
  • Your guests will actually remember eating it, not just picking at it.
02 -
  • If the cream cheese mixture is even slightly warm or the room is hot, your ring will collapse—assemble this one right before guests arrive, not hours ahead.
  • The mold removal is a small, precise moment; if you rush or wrench it, the whole thing tumbles—patience and a gentle wiggle are your friends here.
03 -
  • A diamond-shaped silicone mold, if you can find one, elevates the presentation without requiring any extra skill or knife work.
  • Whisking the cream cheese mixture with an electric mixer for thirty seconds turns it into something almost mousse-like—light, airy, and more visually striking than dense.
Back